Genius' at everything except love
by Ecrire
Summary: Updated. AU college, Mainly ITASAKSAS, a little NARSAK later. Itachi is a genius, Sakura is a genuis They make an odd friendship at school, but trouble really starts when Sasuke arrives.
1. First Strife

I know I promised the Lee story first but it just doesn't sound quite right yet, so to give my brain a break I thought I'd write up an idea that's been jumping around. It's the ol' AU, they go to a fairly normal high school storyline. Yay!

Disclaimer: Still too many clothes on the many very fine Naruto men, so they're not mine.

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' first strife**

Sakura remembered well her first day at Konoha college. She remembered crying. She remembered the pale hand that had given her the handerchief, the wordless comfort he'd offered as she cleaned herself up and got 'back in the ring' so to speak.

Itachi Uchiha, the cold prince of Konoha high had shown her a rare kindness that day, but what had really started the tongues wagging was the repeated kindness' he showed her. She ate at his table, he walked with her to classes and he often took her a partner for projects. The nasty ones said he was just using her enormous brain, the one that was hidden behind her enormous forehead. The nicer ones said he'd taken pity on her, one genius to another, and took her under his wing to protect her from the bastards that were waiting to pounce on the kid. It was a hard school Konoha, and only the strong survived.

But the tongues went into overtime her second year in college, when the younger not so brillant brother of Itachi arrived in the school.

**Konoha High**.

Sakura stepped off the bus thinking happy thoughts. Today was the first day of her second year at Konoha High. This year she would actually know some people her own age at school. This year she would be the same age as the first years. Even if she was taking 6th form classes. She tried to ignore the whispers that followed her easily visible pink hair. Everyone here knew who she was, there was only one pink haired girl at school. Sakura Haruno, the child genius, the girl who's brain was so big (it matched her forehead) she'd jumped three years of college to start with the 15 year olds while she was still 12.

As if her own fame wasn't bad enough there was the fame to be had by being the 'subsitute baby sister' for the Konoha high's other genius, Itachi Uchiha. Speaking of the devil there he was leaning against the steps leading into the school's main building. Her breath caught a little everytime she saw him. It was a stupid crush she knew, but there was no harm in admitting that he was very handsome, if a little cold about it.

Today he wore a high collared chinese shirt in dark blue with long light coloured trousers. His long hair was pulled back into a careless ponytail. He never acted vain, he never needed to. Sakura paused tugging at the sweater of her uniform. As 6th form students they had the right to wear their choice of clothing, but Sakura just hadn't felt comfortable so she'd opted to stay in the uniform, hoping like that she'd blend in a little more.

Itachi raised an eyebrow when he saw her choice of clothes. Falling in beside her as she hurried past he easily kept pace with the shorter girl. Sakura tried to ignore all the heads turning as she walked past accompagned by the tall young man. She searched the crowd desperately for any familiar faces. Finding none she sighed. Leaving the crowd behind they entered into the senior rest room, passing through they arrived at the private locker area for 6th formers. Sakura scanned the ranks looking for one that wasn't already in use.

"Here." Itachi said opening a middle rank locker.

Sakura blushed a little but happily piled her books carefully into the empty space. Closing the door she blinked as a little pink and gold padlock was dangled in front of her eyes. Looking up she saw Itachi's dark eyes watching her closely.

"For your locker." He explained clicking it into place.

Taking out a little gold chain he turned her around and swept her hair to the side. Sakura almost gasped as his cool hands fluttered at the back of her neck fastening the chain.

"Your key." He said softly. "So you don't lose it."

"I don't lose everything." She muttered embarrassed.

Turning her back to face him, Itachi picked up the chain gently from where it touched her neck and held up the two keys one tipped in pink the other in blue. Sakura forgot how to breath looking into his eyes.

_13 is certainly more interesting than 12._

She told herself over her rising hormones.

"Your key and my key." He said just as softly. "Just in case I lose mine."

He indicated the locker above hers, a matching blue and gold padlock stood guard.

"Huh." Sakura said trying for cool and unimpressed. "So where's your own copy? You better not think I'm running over here everytime you need your locker opened."

Itachi almost smiled. He reached under the neck of his shirt and pulled out a matching chain. Two keys were hooked to it. One tipped in blue, the other in pink.

"In case you lose yours." He explained.

Sakura felt herself loose what control she had of her temper and barely controlled the urge to stamp on his foot. That would be too childish. She settled for tipping her head back and marching out head held high. Pulling open the door to the corridor she was surprised when someone demanded,

"Oi! Kid. Is Itachi in there?"

Seething Sakura turned to confront the speaker. She may be dressed in a uniform, she may not be the tallest in the school, but she most certainly was not a 'kid' any more. Especially if her hormones were going to keep jumping like that.

"Yeah what's it to you?" She snapped.

Taking a good look at the speaker Sakura gulped and stepped back. It was like looking at Itachi only her age, and with a nasty temper. His hair was messy, it spiked out backwards on the sides. His eyes carried a continual scowling look and his face looked sulky. He was dressed, barely, in the school uniform. The white shirt hung out of the bottom of his crumpled blue sweater, the grey shorts were longer than the normal uniform and his shoes were already scuffed. Sakura just knew that by the time he got to class, _if_ he got to class her inner self sniffed, he'd have at least three reprimands.

The mini-Itachi looked her up and down. Sakura knew what he was thinking, how did a first year enter into the 6th form's private area? Pushing past her, he shunted the door open.

"Hey! You can't go in there! That's reserved!" Sakura snapped pushing after him blocking his way.

"You were inside, or is it only open for the little girlfriends of the big 6th formers?" He said sharply trying to push past her.

"I'm a sixth former!" Sakura snapped back, pushing against him.

"Do you think I'm stupid or something?" He growled giving her one good push sending her sprawling onto the ground. Looking up into his eyes Sakura shivered

"Sasuke." Itachi's voice carried cooly into the room.

Sasuke stopped, the rage dissapearing slowly from his face. Looking up more or less coldly at his older brother Sasuke slipped a sneer onto his face.

"Father said to remind you that you have work to do this afternoon. You're not to hang around after school, he wants you to go home right away." Sasuke said ignoring the girl struggling to her feet.

"Fine." Itachi said.

Casting one last look at the red faced girl Sasuke smirked and walked out

"Do you know him?" Sakura asked straigtening her clothes, embarrassed and angry at being bested.

"He's my little brother." Itachi said a certain coldness in his eyes.

He sighed and looked at her. Resettling the chain around her neck as if he were nervous and need to touch her, Itachi looked carefully at Sakura's eyes.

"Sakura, I want you to promise me that you won't go near my brother."

Surprised Sakura nodded. A brief half-smile passed over Itachi's face and he patted her on the head. Watching him leave before her Sakura took a moment to control the dissapointment on her face. He'd patted her on the head, like a dog, or a kid. Just when she thought maybe she was starting to become a woman. Shaking herself free she hurried after him, it wouldn't do to be late for classes. She was a genius afterall, that took work.

**After school.**

Sakura sighed as the final bell rang. Gathering up her books she waited until the rest of the class had filed out before following. This was the only class she didn't share with Itachi, he had no interest in learning languages. She walked through the jostling crowd taking more than her fair share of jostles as she tried to fight the stream. Heading towards the 6th form area she finally fought her way free of the crowd and opened the door. It was empty except for the rubbish left lying around. She went immediately to her locker and took out her book bag and the text books needed for that night.

Opening the door she heard only silence. She walked slowly through the halls. Her parents worked until almost 7 o'clock, she spent the time afterschool in the local library doing her homework. Stepping outside she was surprised to see a large number of students still hanging around whispering to each other. Pushing through the crowd towards the pavement she stopped open mouthed at the sight of Itachi and Sasuke standing in front of a black limosine. Beside them a tall dark man stood. He looked down coldly at Sasuke as Sasuke animately explained something to him. Itachi looked more like a statue than anything else.

Suddenly spotting her Sasuke paused in his speech, then pointed towards her, restarting to talk even faster. Sakura raised an eyebrow and glanced at Itachi for help. Itachi had a tight look around his eyes, but he gave no clue as what was happening. Reshouldering her bag, Sakura turned determined to ignore them all and took a step towards the library.

"Miss Haruno." A deep voice said.

Almost against her will she obeyed the command in that voice. Turning she swallowed hard as he approached.

"Sir?" She almost whispered holding her books like a shield between her and the towering man.

"My younger son tells me you are a genius to rival my Itachi." His voice rumbled.

Sakura shook her head.

"No sir, Itachi... Itachi he's much better than I am."

For a moment a flicker of satisfaction passed over his face.

"I would like you to tutor my younger son, as his brother can do nothing with him." His voice did not ask, it commanded.

Sakura's heart beat wildly. Desperately she glanced over at Itachi for help. His face was blank but his eyes boiled with hate. Gulping Sakura said in a shaking voice,

"I'm afraid I can't sir, my Mother expects me home." She lied quickly, eyes on the ground.

His hand held out a slim state of the art cell phone.

"Call her. Tell her you will work for the Uchiha family as a tutor three afternoons a week. You will be well paid."

Behind him Sasuke looked furious, but unlike Itachi, his face showed it. With shaking fingers she took the phone and dialled the number for her mother's work.

Rather than let her speak, Mr Uchiha took the phone out of her hand the moment it started to ring.

In a forceful voice he informed her mother of the new arrangements. Her mother folded very quickly and Sakura had a moment to feel abandoned before she was swept into the back seat of the limosine with the three Uchihas.

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This one seems to be writing well, so I'll keep going.


	2. Rising Panic

**Genius' at everything but love**

**Genius' Rising Panic**

**Uchiha Limousine **

Sakura had been worried before, but when both Mr Uchiha and Itachi got out of the limousine leaving her all alone with Sasuke, she found a new level of panic. Not that Itachi's little brother offered anything violent. She was sure he'd back off after just one good right punch from her. After all, all that pen pushing and note taking had built up her arm muscles. Clenching her hand into an experimental fist made her feel better. But one look at Sasuke's sulky face staring out of the window made her confidence fall a little.

He clearly wasn't interested in her, and she was supposed to tutor the little toad? How was she supposed to control someone even Itachi, his own much bigger, stronger brother, couldn't get to study?

Blowing her breath out to calm the butterflies in her stomach, Sakura furrowed her wide forehead trying to come up with a plan. After all she was a genius, she could figure out a way to get him to listen, she just had to find a little leverage. It wasn't the fact that she'd been bullied into the job that meant she was going to do a shoddy job. She had a sudden mental image of a studious Sasuke showing perfect scores to his smiling father while explaining it was all thanks to Sakura's miraculous teaching methods, and Itachi who would pat her on the head as a reward. No wait, he'd invite her out to a restuarant, yes that was better.

Reassured, Sakura glance around the limosine. She'd had no idea that the Uchiha's were so rich. Itachi certainly didn't show it by going to Konoha High. It was a decent school, but anyone with this much money went to Fire Academy. She would've killed to go to FA, but it was too expensive and even her scores didn't mean a full scholarship. And without a full scholarship, well, her family was just too damn poor. That was how expensive and exclusive FA was.

There was nothing said between Sasuke and Sakura the entire journey to the Uchiha mansion. And it was a mansion as Sakura saw when she got out of the car behind the silent Sasuke. Standing there open mouthed she didn't notice Sasuke's smirking expression until he gave a snort of derision. Snapping her mouth shut, she fixed a glare on him. Seeing her expression he fixed a glare on his face aswell.

Turning away from her, Sasuke started into the house leaving his bag in the car.

"Hey, you're going to need your books to study." Sakura said crossly.

Sasuke half turned towards her looking at her with a familiar bored expression on his face. Sakura's heart thudded, Itachi looked just like that sometimes when she'd said something just too childish.

"I don't plan of studying." He said bluntly.

Sakura scowled, so he was going to be difficult was he? Before she could even open her mouth to tear strips out of him, a ringing sound came from his pocket. Slipping his hand into his pocket he pulled out a cell phone that flashed blue. Glancing at the screen Sasuke's lips curved into a very faint smile before he eagerly snapped it open and put it to his ear.

"Fa-" He began only to be cut off by a familiar low voice.

Grimacing, his initial smile dying, Sasuke nodded petulantly. Making a grunting sound of assention he snapped the phone shut and stalked back to the car. Pulling out his bag he refused to meet Sakura's eyes.

"We'll study in my room." He muttered.

Silently Sakura nodded, feeling sorry for him. His father seemed really strict. Halfway through a maze of corridors his cell phone rang again. This time he seemed surprised when he glanced at the screen. Flicking it open he listened a second before his eyes slid surprised to Sakura.

"Yeah she's here, why?"

"'Kay." He said almost pouting.

Looking at her with a mix of curiosity, surprise (and was that envy?) Sasuke held out his phone to her. Hands trembling she accepted the phone.

"Hel-hello?" She said timidly, half expecting to hear Mr Uchiha.

Sakura? Itachi's voice sounded right next to her.

"Itachi." Sakura breathed relieved.

Sakura, listen. Sakura snapped to attention. Don't go wandering, stay with Sasuke. Just do your job and get out afterwards, I'll call you later.

Itachi cut the connection suddenly and Sakura stared at the cell in confusion. First she was to stay away from Sasuke and now she couldn't leave his side.

"I wondered why father bothered to call me." Sasuke said pushing open a door. "Now I know, Nii-san asked him to."

Sasuke's eyes slid over to Sakura who looked with wonder at the huge room. Everything she'd ever dreamed of for christmas seemed to be there, except the dolls. Tossing his sack on top of the wide bed Sasuke scooped up a stack of papers from a desk and pointed to a chair next to it.

Looking at the thick creamy carpet, Sakura slipped off her shoes. Seeing her movement Sasuke snorted again, Sakura coloured a little but stayed firm in her decision. He may have maids to run around after him, but she came from a house where if you dirtied it, you cleaned it. That carpet looked expensive and it would be a shame to ruin it with her shoes. Sakura slid gingerly into the chair placing her books down beside her.

Sasuke slumped next to her on a found chair.

"Where do you want to start?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke shrugged. Internally Sakura gritted her teeth, externally she stood up and walked over to the bed and rummaged in his bag. She felt his eyes on her, felt him almost complain when she touched his bag but she ignored him. The angry set of her shoulders probably dissauded him, Sakura told herself, as she sat back down the majority of his books in her hands.

Taking out his planner from the pile she flicked through to the current day. The page was covered in doodles and scribbles. There wasn't even a listing of his classes. Internally Sakura ripped the planner to shreds, externally she flipped more quickly through the pages, all were covered in pen. Beside her Sasuke smirked, did he ever do anything else, she asked herself . Finally she found one page relatively free of black pen marks, written on it, in Itachi's neat handwriting, was a complete listing of Sasuke's classes. Smiling in triumph Sakura scanned the list.

_All the normals, including art pratical? Hmm can't help him there!_

Choosing one at random she dragged the book out from the pile balanced precariously on her lap. And so they began.

An hour later Sakura was only just holding down the desire to beat him around the head with the entire pile of books. He was so smug! He'd complain and waste time just until she thought she'd kill him, and then suddenly he'd finish a page in five minutes. She was sure he just doing this to piss her off.

_I wouldn't be surprised if his low scores are only because he's lazy in classes._

Sakura scanned the latest page, and found few faults. Raising an eyebrow at the neatness of the writing which belied the general behaviour of Sasuke, she tapped her lips with her pen. Coming out of her dream, Sakura noticed Sasuke watching her a particulary inappropriate look in his eyes. Putting a proffessional look on her face and removing the pen from her mouth she sat up staight.

"Well, that looks fine." Sakura said brightly collecting her things together. "We'll stop there for today, tomorrow I'll pass and see your teachers, collect your homework in case you forget it again."

Suddenly she realised she was miles from home with only minimal bus fare in her bag. Almost groaning out loud, she mentally screamed at unthinking males who forced work onto unsuspecting young women then left them high and dry on the opposite side of town. As if reading her mind Sasuke pulled her bag out of her hands and stood up slinging it easily over his shoulder.

_Humph, show off, it's not that heavy._

"I'll call the car around, it'll meet us in front." He walked towards the door leaving her to hurry after him a few left over books in her arms.

Pausing to put her shoes on she saw a servant take an order. Remembering Itachi's advice she hurried after Sasuke almost walking on his heels as he led the way back through the maze he called a house. Sasuke came to an abrupt stop, Sakura stopped herself mere millimetres from touching him.

"If you want, you can just touch me, I don't mind." Sasuke's voice slid back to Sakura.

Face flaming because she had been looking him over from behind, Sakura made an angry hissing sound. Sasuke looked back over his shoulder at the furiously blushing girl.

"As long as I can do the same." He smirked as Sakura's mouth fell open.

Taking the chance he slid his hand over her hip and pushed her in front of him.

"Now I can return the favour." He rumbled at her ear, the ever present smirk on his face.

Sakura turned even redder, he knew she'd been looking at him from behind? She didn't know which was winning the anger or the embarrassment. Definately the angry embarrassment was winning she decided as he continued the push her through the house with one hand on her hip. She would definately tell him to get lost, she opened her mouth to speak when he pulled her back against him. Her face flamed again, she was getting a little dizzy with all this blushing.

_So this is why Itachi wanted me to stay away from him!_

"You're not bad, but why are you wearing that rag?" Sasuke breathed.

Caught between her rising anger and her rising hormones, Sakura felt her thin control snap.

Spinning around she raised her hand to slap him, but he was already walking past her as if nothing was happening.

Panting she combed her long hair with her fingers trying to find a semblance of control. He really was nothing like his brother!

Still if it was Itachi saying those things... Huff what am I thinking? Itachi doesn't think of me that way.

Even with that thought firmly in her head Sakura's hand slipped up to touch the chain around her neck.

_Itachi._

Her cold, cold prince.

Finding her inner calm Sakura followed Sasuke outside.

The limousine was parked and waiting, Sasuke held the door open and Sakura slipped in without complaint, anything to get away from him. Except instead of closing the door he slid in beside her. The car started before Sakura could protest, but instead of trying anything he leaned his chin on his hand and stared out the blackened window as if he was completely alone.

Rather than complain, Sakura inched away from him to the other side of the bank seat. Leaning her chin on the window sill she hugged her few books to her chest.

_Poor Itachi, if that's his house, I don't blame him for being so reserved._

With a jerk she noticed that they were arriving in her neighbour.

"Please! Stop here thank you, I can walk home from here." She called out to the driver.

He glanced at Sasuke, who nodded. Gathering up her bag she opened the door and stepped out aware that people were staring.

"Sakura."

Surprised by the apologetic tone in his voice Sakura turned, without thinking, to look at him. Grabbing her shoulders he pulled her close and pressed his lips onto hers. Trapped by her own surprise she couldn't even respond with anger or hunger. Sasuke drew back smirking.

"That's one that Itachi won't have." He said mockingly.

Tears starting in her eyes she felt like screaming.

Bastard! Itachi was supposed to be my first kiss, not-not you! 

He stepped back into the limousine and it pulled away while she was still trying to decide what to do.

Dropping her text books on the ground she scrubbed at her lips trying to blank the awful memory from her mind.

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Bad Sasuke, bad, bad, bad. What will Itachi do if he ever finds out? Hee hee.


	3. Confusion

Disclaimer bla bla, I know that Itachi is wearing less clothing in this one, but sigh still not mine.

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**Genius' at everything except love**

**Genius' in confusion**

The next day Sakura feared only two things, seeing Sasuke, and seeing Itachi. She'd refused Itachi's call last night, pleading too much homework to answer. Now there was no way she could avoid him, she had classes with him all day.

Feeling trepidation growing in her Sakura approached the front steps. Itachi leaned against the handrail ignoring the circle of giggling first years trying to catch his attention. Sakura stopped short. He was breathtaking today, it was like for the first time he was actually trying to look good, and he was succeeding. Dark pants cut to the trim length of his legs touched the top of polished shoes instead of his usual sneakers. A partially open white shirt peeked out from a dark jacket left open. Hands stuffed into his pockets, the only thing Sakura disliked were the dark sunglasses he wore to hide his eyes.

Approaching him shyly, she followed him at a short distance when he entered the school before her. Sneaking looks at his back she had to admit that physically he was similar to Sasuke, except taller, but at least wasn't trying to crawl over her. Pity.

Entering the 6th form area she wasn't upset to find it empty. She felt she had to explain herself to him, about something. Reassure herself that he didn't look at her differently after yesterday, even if he didn't know everything about it.

"Are you okay?" Itachi asked before she could think of something suitably perky to say.

"Uh." Sakura said not sure what he was referring to.

"Sasuke, he didn't try anything did he?" Itachi asked with a quietness that scared her.

She shook her head hard.

"No. It went alright, he did well." She said opening her locker.

"And you went right home afterwards?" Itachi asked, standing behind her.

"Yes, Sasuke took me home in the limousine." She said smiling up into his serious, still sunglassed face.

"You know, a girl could get used to that kind of luxury." She said teasingly.

He gave his half-smile and placed his hands on her shoulders, Sakura tried not to lean into them. Still annoyed by the sunglasses, there were inside for crying out loud, she reached her hands up to his eyes. He flinched away from her searching fingers but she persisted and he seemed reluctant to remove his hands. He stood very still as she slipped his glasses off. His eyes were empty as he watched hers widen in surprise.

"Itachi!" She breathed.

A bruise spread around one eye swelling it slightly, easily hidden under a pair of sunglasses. Tenderly she touched the outer rim of the bruise, her breath catching when she saw him wince infinitesimally. She turned around under his hands.

"Oh Itachi, are you okay?" She asked, tears welling at his empty look.

Itachi raised a hand and touched a tear as it slid down. Using his thumb he wiped it away.

"You shouldn't cry." He said calmly. "It's not your face."

"But Itachi." She said crying on the inside and outside.

He hushed her, watching her silently as the tears continued to slide.

"Sakura, would you mind not going to classes today?" He asked in his quiet voice.

Sakura shook her head confused.

"But what will I do? Will you take notes for me?" She asked her voice a little choked from the tears.

Itachi's good eye widened, then understanding his eye crinkled as an impossibly rare smile crossed his face.

"No, I mean, I don't want to go to classes like this, and I want you to come with me." He explained gently.

Feeling a sense of wonder from his smile Sakura could only nod.

Slipping his sunglasses back on, he took her by the hand and led her by secret means out of the school.

**Konoha centre city**

Sakura tried not to fidget as they idled at the traffic light. Trust Itachi to have his own car. But this was suddenly alot more real than before. She wondered if she could explain a whole day of missed school to her Mum as Itachi's fault. He smiled, she'd whine, he tricked me with his charms, and before I knew it I was skipping school with a 16 year old who has his own sports car! She was so dead.

Itachi glanced over at the hunching girl. Turning the wheel he parked illegally infront of a store.

Before she could protest he had her out of the car and into the store. Surprised she gazed open mouthed at the displays of clothes more expensive than she'd ever seen before. A saleswoman was already rushing towards them.

"Master Uchiha, how nice to see you. To what do we owe the honour?" She gushed;

Sakura gave her an unfriendly look as she layed her hand on Itachi's arm.

_Oh no you don't, get your hands off my Itachi!_

Internally Sakura punched the touchy women, externally Sakura turned her head away and looked furiously at the clothes as if they offended her.

"Please clothe her for a day out." He said cooly stepping towards Sakura.

The sales woman's face faltered a little for a moment then became professional.

"The usual arrangements for payments sir?" She said equally cooly.

"Yes, put them on my mother's account." He said turning away as if not interested.

Sakura had a moment to wonder about 'usual payment arrangements' before she was whisked away.

**Konoha public park.**

Sakura tugged again on the short skirt of her sundress. She looked shyly at Itachi who lay on the grass, face shaded by a tree.

"You look very beautiful today." he said.

Sakura smiled happily and lay down beside him. It wasn't often that Itachi praised her for anything, taking her intelligence for granted as it was similar to his own. She'd complained once that he never complimented her, this after she'd spents months almost sleepless working on a regional prize winning essay. He said people who praised too often, were not sincere in their praises. And this was the first time he'd praised her physically.

Feeling a sense of happiness she'd never felt before come over her, Sakura stretched her arms up towards the sun sprinkling through the tree leaves.

"Do you think the leaves are happy to be just leaves?" Itachi asked suddenly.

Sakura thought a while, she was used to these types of questions just coming out of the blue, it was part of his genius she supposed. He liked it when she gave her considered opinion.

"I think they don't know how to be anything else." She said finally. "So if they don't know anything else, they're happy. And besides, leaves are a part of the tree, like your fingers, so they don't really have a will of their own."

Itachi considered her words.

"Then in your opinon," he asked seriously, "which part of the tree, which is not the tree itself, has its own will?"

"The seedpods." Sakura said easily. "Because they become new trees."

"Do you think it's easy for the seedpods to fall from the big tree?" He asked turning to watch her face.

Sakura thought carefully, he seemed serious, which meant something was bothering him. She couldn't give him advice, but if she answered well he would be satisfied.

"I think it is, it's what they're made to do. But you know what they say." She said thoughtfully. "They never fall far from the tree."

"What happens when the seedpods become trees, and finds that the big tree is too close for them to continue growing?" He asked closing his eyes as if to hear her voice better.

"Well according to the books, they start a war for food and dominance. I think mostly one wins and the other dies. But I'm not sure." She said.

Itachi stayed silent his brow furrowed. Sakura frowned, today was supposed to relieve his worries not cause them. She smoothed her hand over his forehead, drawing her hand back she looked in wonder at it. She'd never dared really initiate such an intimate contact before.

Itachi's eyes blinked open.

"If you're finished eating, would you like to go somewhere? There's somewhere I'd like to take you." Itachi asked.

"Of course." Sakura said without hesitation.

**Smaller lake side**

Itachi pushed apart the bushes and lead her through the gap. Surprised Sakura looked out over the lake to the wooded bank on the opposite side.

"It seems so deserted." She whispered afraid of raising her voice.

"Not many people come here, it's too small for fishing or swimming." He led the way onto a short pier and sat down at the end.

"How do you know about it?" She asked. "We're miles out of town."

"My father used to bring me here when I was younger." He said falling into silence.

Sakura sat beside him, he drew one knee up and leaned his forehead on it. Sakura knew well these thinking moods. Another part of his genius she supposed. Dangling her legs over the side she started as Itachi's cell phone rang shrilly.

Automatically he flipped it open and put it to his ear. A few seconds later he snapped it shut. Suddenly he jumped to his feet and turned back towards shore taking a few steps. Sakura scrambled to her feet to follow him. Just as suddenly Itachi turned back, his face a mask of rage. Using all his strength he hurled his cell phone far out into the lake. A grimace of pain crossed his face and he fell to his knees, panting, holding his upper arm.

Sakura hurried to him touching the place just below his hand. Her fingers came away wet, looking at them in surprise she saw with horror the wetness was red.

"Itachi!" She said struggling to see the jacket sleeve under his hand.

He clamped his hand down, his face set. Anger welled in her as she tugged at the jacket. He did nothing except keep his hand clamped over his upper arm. This effectively kept her from removing the jacket. Stopping and falling to her knees aswell she grasped Itachi's face forcing his eyes away from the lake and towards her.

"Itachi, take off the jacket and show me." She pleaded.

He shook his head dumbly. She bit her lip holding on to the tears, this was a time to be strong.

"Itachi," she begged softly.

His eyes turned to look into her own.

"Show me."

Slowly he lowered his hand but made no move to help her as she stripped off his jacket. There was a large patch of bright red blood on his shirt sleeve. Breathing steadily she placed her fingers on the buttons of his shirt, he made no move to stop her. She should be feeling giddy, excited, at the thought of stripping Itachi half naked, not nausic and terrified. She should be flushed pink with maidenly embarrassment, not dead white with fear.

She eased the shirt back over his shoulders, it stuck slightly to all the blood and she had to peel it away. Itachi made no sound of pain, his eyes hidden behind his lowered head and falling hair. Sakura looked without understanding at the mess of blood on his arm. Slowly her eyes traced black lines swirling into a centre spiral, and leading out to two long rays going up and down his arm. It was bleeding. Parts of the design were red and raw, blood seeped from them. It must have been happening all day. Sakura stood up to get some lake water to clean it off with when Itachi moved.

Slowly, moving as if broken Itachi leaned forward pressing his forehead into her stomach. His arms slowly encircled her waist as he put more and more weight onto her. Sakura stood frozen as his hands searched to hold on to her tighter and tighter. There was an ever so fine trembling in his arms, though maybe that was her Sakura reflected.

But it was when he started ever so quietly crying that Sakura wrapped his head and upper back awkardly in her arms, leaning her cheek on his head.

It was there on that lake side wearing a white sundress bloodied by him that she learnt to kiss. Softly with all her heart. In this kiss were mixed not the hot emotions of anger and shame like the other kiss, but his tears and just a hint of his blood.

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Time to introduce another two characters. Next chapter it's the arrival of Naruto and Kakashi!


	4. Troubled

For the OOC I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo **

**Genius' at everything except love**

**Genius' troubled**

**Haruno house**

There were, Sakura reflected, bonuses to having parents who get home so late. Lifting her muzzy head out of her pillow the next morning Sakura felt like nothing could ever top this feeling.

_Yeah! LOVE!_

Internally Sakura was doing a war dance of victory, externally she wandered through her morning rituals with a silly smile plastered over her face. Looking in the mirror she grimaced when she saw the results of pressing her face into her pillow all night in a vain imitation of kissing Itachi.

_Itachi won't want to kiss a face that looks like this! _She thought happily as she rummaged through her mother's beauty products.

An hour later she grimaced again as she examined her face minutely in the mirror.

_It looks okay, I think. _She thought with hesitation.

Ducking her head she hurried to her room, glad for the first time that she was an only child. Looking at her uniform lying on her bed she sighed. If she was braver she'd drop the childish uniform and wear something more appropriate, like the sun dress from yesterday.

_You look very beautiful today._

Flushing darkly, Sakura gave a hopping skip. Itachi shouldn't be seen with a child, but... Sakura just couldn't stop wearing her uniform. It would be like shouting out things from the rooftops about them. Sakura blushed hotter just thinking about the reactions from her classmates. However, Itachi, he wouldn't like that. Itachi would want to keep it secret, and so did she, at least a little while longer. A secret just for them.

Running past the dining room where her parents were having breakfast, Sakura heard her mother calling out after her.

"Sorry Mum! I'm going to be late!" Sakura called back, keeping her head down and half hidden behind her folders.

Outside she ran all the way to school a light feeling making it seem like she was actually flying. Once there she proudly walked through the crowd pushing forward towards Itachi's usual spot. She even knew exactly what she'd say to him when she saw him.

Only he wasn't there. Sasuke was. He leaned back against Itachi's spot, spoiling things. Her light feeling leaving her, Sakura felt the earth rush up to meet her feet with a thunk. She tried to hurry past but he snaked out an arm and pulled her back.

"Oi, I have a message." He said sneering at her.

"What?" Sakura snapped keeping her face down.

Sasuke drew back as if slapped, then he leaned forward staring up at her. Sakura ducked more of her face behind her folders. His eyes widened.

"Are you wearing makeup?" He asked surprised, a smirk climbing onto his face. "I didn't know you cared so much."

"You're an idiot!" Sakura hissed, trying to push past.

Maybe Itachi was already at their lockers. She had to see him!

"If you're looking for my brother, he's not here today." Sasuke said, looking at his nails.

Sakura stopped dead, her stomach which had been boiling with anger turned to cold lead. Turning slowly she raised her head, eyes narrowed.

"He's working with father today." Sasuke said leaning back against the railings, looking at her with a snide expression. "But you'll probably see him this afternoon at my house."

Lifting her head up arrogantly she glared at him.

"Why would I care what your brother does? And why would I go to your house?"

Sasuke looked at her a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

"We have a lesson today, at my house." Sasuke reminded her.

Pushing off from the handrail he turned and started to saunter up the stairs.

"Look if you want to see my brother today, you'll have to come to the house. If you don't want to contiue our lessons, _you_ can tell my father."

**Konoha High**

Sakura thunked her overly large forehead onto her desk as the final bell rang. As if an entire day spent without her Itachi wasn't bad enough, now she had a choice of admitting Sasuke's threat had gotten to her by going to the lesson, or phoning his father and explaining that she didn't want to continue and would he please let Itachi come back to school so she could indulge her 13 year old fantasies of a boyfriend.

Neither option filled her with excitment, but one at least meant she had a chance to see Itachi today, and maybe speak to him, maybe kiss him again. Sakura groaned as her stomach clenched in a very pleasant way at the thought of kissing Itachi again.

_Damn hormones. _Sakura thought as she dragged her sorry butt out of the school.

Internally Sakura was dressing for battle chanting, 'Yah gotta suffer for true love!' externally she was clutching the pile of Sasuke's homework with sweaty palms.

Sasuke was waiting with the limousine, he said nothing as she stalked up daring him to say something. He opened the door for her like a gentleman, then got in the other side. Typically he said nothing to her during the drive. Sakura made a point of flicking through his homework tasks so he was clear she was going to make him work.

Arriving at the house Sasuke got out and sauntered into his house leaving Sakura to scramble after him with everything, including his bag. Fuming she stomped into the house only to stop as she saw Itachi come pushing through a door, face controlled, but eyes burning with hate. Gulping, she stepped forward putting out a hand to touch him and say hello.

He walked right past her as if he didn't see her.

Internally Sakura died as a knife plunged through her heart, externally Sakura scrabbled on the floor gathering up the dropped books and papers and folders as she tried desperately not to cry. That wasn't exactly the touching reunion she'd hoped for. Especially with the touching part.

Sasuke knelt beside her wordlessly gathering up more than half of the dropped things.

"You should've left them in the car." He said quietly. "I'd asked one of the servants to bring them up to my room. I thought we might eat something first."

Sakura sniffled.

"Shit." Sasuke swore.

"Shouldn't swear." Sakura corrected him quietly; "'s'not nice."

He shoved a crumpled tissue at her. She raised her eyes, wet with tears, but not crying yet. Determinedly she blotted her face carefully. Looking at him she waited for him to make fun of her, he looked at her as if unsure about something, then looked away as if bored.

"Dropped the folders on my foot." Sakura explained. "But it doesn't hurt anymore." She lied.

"Hn." Sasuke said.

Before they could continue a servant approached Sasuke. Signally her to stay there, Sasuke stepped away in an imitation of privacy. Sakura sucked in a deep breath.

_No need to stress, he just wasn't expecting to see me here, and what did I expect? To be swept up in his arms and covered with kisses like in the stories? Right here, in front of his family?_

Internally Sakura raged, 'YES!', externally Sakura breathed out calming herself. See I'm a reasonable, not insane clingy girlfriend.

_Riiiiiight. Maybe I should go after him?_

Before she could move Sasuke had grabbed her arm and was dragging her towards the door Itachi had just pushed out of. A servant took all her papers before Sasuke dragged her through.

Any thoughts of complaining dissapeared when she saw it was the office of Mr Uchiha, and Mr Uchiha was currently scanning a pile of document in front of him. Without raising his eyes from the pile he addressed his son in a business like tone.

"I have assigned you a martial arts instructor. You start lessons today. You will find him in the dojo. Your brother should already be there." Making no further signs he clipped his lips shut and reached for the telephone.

"But I have lessons today!" Sasuke blurted out, a scowl settling on his features.

"I have no interest in your chosen hobbies. Go to the dojo." Mr Uchiha ordered without pausing in his dialing.

"But they were your idea!" Sasuke raged. "Remember, with Sakura, a tutor so you don't have to be ashamed of my school marks!"

"With who?" Mr Uchiha asked placing the telephone to his ear, still not looking up.

"Sakura!" A sly look slid over Sasuke's face. "You remember, Itachi's friend."

Mr Uchiha paused, then replaced the telephone receiver carefully. Fixing his son with his eyes he asked,

"Itachi's...friend?"

Sasuke nodded, a hungry look on his face as he willed his father to listen to him. Mr Uchiha's eyes flicked to Sakura standing trembling at the door.

"Are you Itachi's friend?" He asked his voice cold.

Sakura gulped, her eyes widening. Suddenly the make up which made her feel so grown up this morning, only seemed to cheapen her in his eyes. She shook her head.

"No-no sir, it's just that the teachers... they put us together alot for projects." She said quietly.

Mr Uchiha seemed to accept this with a grunt, as if his son would never consort with such a creature of his own free will.

"Fine," Mr Uchiha said, picking up the phone again, "go to the dojo, arrange what ever times suits you."

Sensing that the interview was over Sasuke dragged Sakura outside. Getting her inner equilibrium back she jerked her hand out of his grip.

"I can walk just fine." She snapped. "Don't think you're getting out of your lesson either."

Sasuke grunted and kept walking.

Sakura had to admit the grounds for the mansion were beautiful, she hesitated to call them gardens, they were too big for 'gardens'. They wandered past maple trees, flower beds, rock formations, and even a japanese flowering cherry tree. Sakura giggled quietly as she wondered if Itachi ever came out here to think about 'his' little cherry blossom. Feeling herself blush she covered her hot cheeks with her hands.

Turning a corner they arrived at a dojo screened by the surrounding pine trees. It seemed quiet.

Entering the dojo in only their socks, Sakura saw with a burst of hope, Itachi in one corner talking angrily with a tall silver haired man.

"Whoa, what a babe!" a loud voice called out.

Turning around they saw a blond haired boy, with big blue eyes, standing mouth open, broom in one hand. Sasuke assumed a superior expression.

"What would you know?" He asked snidely.

The two older men looked around as well.

"Naruto-kun." The silver haired man called out. "That's no way to greet your new sparring partner and his _lovely_ friend."

Sakura saw he wasn't as old as she'd thought, in fact he was probably only 5 years older than her Itachi. She noted with dissaproving curiosity that he wore not only an eye patch, but a mask that covered his lower face.

"Sorry Kakashi-sensei!" The blonde called back, not the least bit sorry.

He linked his hands behind his head grinning and winking at Sakura, but Sakura only had eyes for Itachi. He stood behind the taller man, a suspicious expression on his face. Kakashi strolled towards them. Sasuke scowled at him, crossing his arms as if daring him to try something.

In one fluid motion Kakashi picked Sasuke up by an ankle and dangled him at arm's length. Immediately Sasuke started thrashing like a fish. But swearing like a sailor.

"Now, now, a little more respect for your old sensei." Kakashi warned, while Naruto collasped onto the dojo floor laughing like a hyena.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAA, I can't believe you fell for that!" He yelled.

_Doesn't he ever speak at a normal sound level?_

Sakura asked herself, trying not to stare too hard at Sasuke's exposed chest.

Just as smoothly, Kakashi scooped up the laughing Naruto and held him by the ankle beside Sasuke who had subsided into a mutinous silence. Naruto wriggled and complained.

After a moment of staring into each other's eyes, both Sasuke and Naruto humphed and looked away.

Sakura watched caught between shyness, nervousness, and joy as Itachi approached.

"Sakura." Itachi said coldly, as if she were a stranger. "Why are you here?"

Sakura bit her lip, hurt momentarily by his coldness. But remembering that they were supposed to keep their love a secret she fell into the act.

"I'm following Sasuke," _like you told me to_, she added silently. "He needs to fix his lesson times with Kakashi-sensei and me."

Kakashi's eye slid around to Itachi's face.

"Oh hoh, Itachi-san. You didn't tell me you knew such a pretty girl. I wonder if your father knows about her?"

Itachi stiffened, Sakura who was watching him carefully said quickly.

"I'm a friend of Sasuke's, from school." She lied smoothly.

Sasuke turned his head to stare at her.

"I'm supposed to help him with his homework, because he's so slow."

Naruto snorted.

"Slow?"

Sasuke glared at him.

"I met Itachi on Monday." Sakura said bowing so Kakashi couldn't read the lies in her eyes.

"I see, well why don't you work with Sasuke, while I train Itachi-san?" Kakashi offered tossing both boys onto the porch.

"You two will stay there and stay quiet until I call you." Smiling he turned and waved goodbye.

Casting Sakura a worried look, Itachi followed him. Sighing Sakura regarded the two boys who were indulging in a glaring match.

"Let's get this over with." She sighed.

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I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorryI'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry** etc...**


	5. Out of control

after having spoken to my advisors, I havecome this conclusion about the OOCness of the characters here.  
Of course they're OOC, they've grown up differently haven't they?

1. Sakura didn't know Sasuke until the start of this story, by that time she was already in love with Itachi. An older less accessible male. Her manga behaviour of throwing herself at him wouldn't have worked. And she knew that.2. A Sakura in love is notoriously hard to dislodge, we all know this, hence her lack of excessive interest in Sasuke now that he is here.**  
**3.Itachi has not killed his entire clan, Sasuke has not grown up hating his brother for that, though he has grown up half hating his brother (as he did in the manga) because of other reasons.  
4. They are not ninja. no chakra. no way.

I think Naruto ( who will not be carrying a homicidal super powerful spirit beast inside him) is fairly close, as is Kakashi, but their characters will develop more later.

Usual disclaimer, no owning of the many fine increasingly shirtless males inside. I love being the author.

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**Genius' at everything except love**

**Genius' out of control**

**Uchiha private dojo**

For the fifth time in half and hour, Sakura whacked Naruto over the head as he interferred with Sasuke's homework.

"Ow, Sakura-sweetie, I just wanted to see what the idiot was writing."

Sasuke snapped his third pencil. Grabbing hold of Naruto's gi, he dragged him up close to his spitting face.

"I. am. not. An. Idiot. Idiot." Sasuke growled out.

"And you are both getting on my nerves!" Sakura declared dropping an elbow simultaneously onto each of their heads.

The boys dropped to the porch, clutching their heads and making little sounds of pain. Sakura heard lazy clapping behind her. She turned blushing, trying to regain her girlish composure.

"Not bad." Kakashi said approaching them.

Itachi followed him, panting and dripping with sweat. Sakura glanced quickly at Itachi before looking with exasperation at Sasuke and Naruto.

_I am not blushing! I am not blushing!_ She thought furiously.

"Well, shall we change students?" Kakashi asked pushing Itachi towards Sakura.

Sakura blinked, while Itachi spun towards Kakashi his fist raised threateningly. Kakashi trapped his fist easily.

"His bandage is slipping, could you fix it while I give these two a trial run?" He asked.

Noting the faint red mark showing through Itachi's white gi sleeve, Sakura nodded dumbly. She knew what lay under that bloodly mark.

Itachi glared at Kakashi a moment then turned, as cooly as he'd been hot an instant before. He sat gracefully on the edge of the porch slipping his gi top off over his head. Sakura's heart thumped, the last time she'd seen him like this there'd been kissing. But this time with the others so close, she had to keep her hands from wandering across his smooth chest. But she remembered, she remembered the feel of his lips, the touch of his hands, of her hands on him.

"Sakura." He said quietly.

Blinking back to reality Sakura realised she was leaning towards him as if she was going to kiss him. Jerking back, turning red, she started fussing with his bandage. He stayed silent while she tugged and patted it back into place.

The sounds of the challenges and thumps coming from behind them faded into the distance as Sakura looked once more into his eyes. There she saw that he too was remembering their time on the dock. A strange heat was in his eyes, and though Sakura felt an answering heat rising in her, it was twisted with fear. Slowly never taking his eyes from hers he lifted her stilled hand, and slowly kissed the fingers with his open mouth. Sakura almost collasped when he swept the tip of his tongue over the sensitive pads of her fingertips.

"Thankyou." He said as quietly as before.

Standing he turned and entered the dojo.

_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! _Inner Sakura yelled falling to the ground in ecstasy.

Externally Sakura leaned heavily onto the porch, breathing laboured as if she'd just run a marathon.

"That was pretty good." Kakashi said from beside her.

Jumping about a foot high, Sakura turned ready to deny everything.

"You must have done some training in the past." Kakashi said lazily crouching beside her.

"Uh, yeah. I trained at a local club for a while." _8 years bozo!_ Inner Sakura crowed.

"I thought so." Kakashi said. "Would you like to take classes with me and the two in there?"

Sakura turned her head to stare at the end of the match. Sasuke and Naruto lay locked in double choke holds. Neither was willing to release the other without obtaining a full victory.

"Give ... up, idiot?" Sasuke gasped.

"Die... bastard." Naruto gasped back.

"What are you two doing?" Sakura screeched, jumping to her feet.

Rushing into the dojo she grabbed one of each of their ears and twisted until with a yell they separated and rolled apart.

"What the hell are you?" Sasuke complained, rubbing his ear redder.

"Ow, Sakura-sweetie, I don't like pain." Naruto complained at the same time.

"Well then, stop fighting!" Sakura annouced hands on her hips.

"He called me an idiot!" Naruto complained pointing to Sasuke.

"You are an idiot!" Sakura said, clenching her fist.

Naruto pouted, while Sasuke grinned.

"Thanks Sakura-_sweetie._" He said.

Naruto's eyes opened wider.

"Oooooo I understand. You and he are boyfriend and girlfriend." Naruto said nodding his head.

"WHAT!" Sakura yelled, grabbing his gi front.

"You are an idiot." Sasuke snorted. "Why would I want to go out with her?"

Sakura turned on Sasuke who drew back slightly.

"Whaddya mean why?" she threatened.

Sasuke, choosing the path of least resistance, crossed his arms and looked away.

"I'm not interested in dating." He said coldly.

Sakura's head reeled.

_After everything he tried to pull on me on Monday, he has the nerve to say he isn't interested in dating?_

"Especially not you." Sasuke finished flatly.

Sakura felt her inner control snap.

"If you're not interested in me then why did you kiss me?" She yelled into his face.

A millisecond later she realised what she had just said. Panting in fear she wondered if it was possible to feel worse. She'd just admitted in front of Itachi, the man she loved with all her heart, that she'd kissed someone else. His brother to be precise.

"I didn't kiss you." Sasuke lied. "You kissed me."

Internally Sakura gave a wordless cry of rage and leapt onto Sasuke to strangle him with her bare hands, externally Sakura stepped back her face in shock. She was going to faint, she was going to be sick.

_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god, _She babbled to herself.

"Sasuke-kun, that was too harsh." Kakashi said catching Sakura before she could fall to the ground.

"The poor girl's devastated. You really should have more care for young ladies who declare their flame for you."

Sakura started shaking her head, she couldn't look around to see the face of Itachi, what must he think of her? Covering her face with her hands she sank to her knees.

Kakashi leaned over Sasuke and started to lecture him on proper behaviour and respect for other people's feelings, Naruto crouched down next to the rocking Sakura.

"Oi? You okay?" He asked in a normal voice.

Sakura looked up at him, her face desolate. Itachi must hate her now she believed. She felt tears prick her eyes.

_Why did I have to lose my temper? I've never shown that side of me to Itachi! And what I said! It's unforgivable! I'll..._

All thoughts stopped as Naruto pressed his lips against the side of her mouth. Sakura blinked.

"You don't have to spend your time chasing after that bastard. I'll date you!" He said brightly.

Her fist connected with the side of his face before she could consider anything else. He rolled across the dojo coming to a stop at Kakashi's feet. Again Kakashi regarded her with surprise.

"Well I did think you were interested in Itachi-san, but it looks like I had you pegged for the wrong brother." He said cheerfully.

"I-I have to go." Sakura mumbled, lurching to her feet.

"Well I suppose that's it for today anyway." Kakashi sighed. "Sasuke-kun you will pick Naruto-kun up and follow me to the first aid station. Itachi, I leave the young Miss in your hands. You've done all I need of you for today."

Twiddling his fingers at them, he turned and sauntered away. Muttering threats, Sasuke heaved the almost comatose boy onto his shoulder and they wobbled out behind Kakashi.

Sakura didn't know if she should just run, or stay very still.

"If you'll follow me." Itachi said quietly.

Heart breaking Sakura turned and followed him, her steps dragging. She thought about trying to explain, to beg his forgiveness, but the words stayed choked in her throat. She walked behind him her vision blurry with tears.

"We can talk here." Itachi said coming to a stop but not turning to look at her.

"I-I can explain," Sakura started desperately.

He held up his hand. Sakura stuttered to a stop.

"I know what my brother can be like when he thinks he's found something I'm interested in." Itachi said softly.

He turned at the sound of her sniffles, a strange smile passing over his face.

"He's forever trying to steal things from me."

Crying strongly now, Sakura threw herself against his chest, muffling her cries in his gi top.

"I didn't-he-so fast..." Sakura babbled, clutching at the rough cotton of the top.

"I'll take care of my little brother." Itachi hushed her. "He'll never touch you again."

He pushed her chin back until he looked into her eyes, wet with tears.

"I think you should pretend to be in love with my brother. At least in front of Kakashi." Itachi said rubbing circles against her temples.

Sakura's eyes closed with the pleasant feeling. Tears leaked out. Itachi leaned forward to lick them gently away. Sakura gave a moan and felt her knees tremble.

"That way, we'll be safe." He whispered against her cheek.

"But I don't love your brother." Sakura protested softly, lost in the wonderful things he was doing. "I love you." She whispered.

Itachi paused, he drew back causing Sakura to open her eyes. He looked at her seriously.

"Do you mean that Sakura?" He asked his voice heavy with warning. "Do you really mean that? Or are you just a little girl wanting a little romance?"

She saw the pain, the hurt, the disbelief in his eyes, more than anything she wanted to wipe that away.

"I love you Itachi Uchiha, with all my heart, no matter what I have to do to prove it." She whispered back.

He crushed her to him suddenly, his mouth at her ear as he whispered.

"Then pretend to chase my brother in front of Kakashi, for he is my father's spy on me." He held her back from him.

Looking into his fiercely concentrated face Sakura felt her last reservations about the game slipping away. She nodded agreement. He threw his arms wide and his head back as if laughing to the wind.

"Everything here is a lie, Sakura. Everything here is false, nothing I do here, nothing you do here is real." He grabbed her close again as if afraid she would fly away with the wind.

"Except this." He said hotly, and kissed her again.

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I'll introduce new characters in a couple of chapters, try guessing who!


	6. Sinking fast

Some people have noted the rather two sided, or even one sided aspect of Itachi's character. Yup, but then do you think he's showing everything about himself right now? He's not like Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura who are much more open about their real selves. Itachi is a genius at hiding himself. Remember what he said to Sakura at the end of the last chapter?

"Everything here is a lie, Sakura. Everything here is false, nothing I do here, nothing you do here is real."

Up to you to try and figure out what is real in his behaviour, and what is false! Itachi is big ol' mystery man to everyone, but in this chapter and the next we get a glimpse of things underneath, what will Sakura do? Why does she alway fall for such dark troubled men?

On the fact that Sakura is more interesting around Sasuke and Naruto than Itachi, duh, in the manga she was always more interesting around Naruto and Ino than when she was pulling the super cute act with Sasuke! At least I think so. What do you guys think?

Disclaimer; don't make me repeat it it hurts! Oh okay, idontownnarutobutamlookingfortimeshareonitachiorkakashi.

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' sinking fast**

**Uchiha dojo**

Sakura arrived at the dojo door panting. Sasuke and Naruto were busy fulfilling yet another punishment for Kakashi, and she knew that if she hurried, she might catch Itachi before he left.

"Well, well, little Sakura-chan." Kakashi drawled.

Sakura looked up and gulped. Kakashi stood in the doorway a book in his hand. Quickly she arranged her features into one of eager hopefulness.

"Is Sasuke there?" She asked brightly.

"No." Kakashi said smiling.

Sakura let her face fall into the dissapointment she really felt.

"But he won't be long." Kakashi finished.

"Oh, what are you reading?" Sakura asked hitching her face up again.

"Oh, this?" Kakashi said blandly. "Nothing that'll interest you."

He flipped the plain covered book closed, and slipped it away in the wide belt he wore. Sakura fought to keep her eyes lit up. Kakashi patted her on the head.

"It's okay you don't have to pretend around me, I know I don't replace your Sasuke-kun."

Sakura blushed a little and looked down. She didn't dare ask after Itachi. He'd skipped school for the third day, she was getting a little desperate to see him.

"Would you like some tea while we wait for the boys to arrive?" Kakashi asked indicating the tea sitting on the porch. There were already two used cups sitting beside the still steaming pot.

_Itachi._ Sakura thought with a pleasant shiver.

"Sure!" Sakura said without faking.

Smiling she knelt beside the tea things and picked up the pot. Kakashi appeared beside her three new cups in hand. Sakura extended her arms to pour the tea carefully into the cups that Kakashi proffered.

"SAKURA-SWEETIE!" Naruto yelled from the entrance to the dojo grounds waving like mad.

Sakura yelped from surprise and her arms jerked uncontrollably. Mouth open in growing shock she watched the hot green liquid arch up and towards Kakashi's turned head.

Becoming aware of the danger, Kakashi leaned back. The hot tea missed his face by millimetres, and landed squarely on his gi top.

"AH! I'm sorry!" Sakura said trying to find something to blot it up with.

"No problem, everyone makes mistakes." Kakashi said staring at the growing teastain. "You must be a little tense."

"Hah, yeah, good thing Sasuke wasn't here." She said weakly.

"Geez, sorry Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said arriving at the porch.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled brandishing her fist in his face. "What made you yell out like that?"

Naruto cringed.

"I'm sorry Sakura-sweetie." He said grinning up at her through his protecting arms. "I was just so excited to see you here!"

"Humph!" Sakura said turning away.

An instant later she'd turned back to him her face lit up with excitment.

"But never mind that, where's Sasuke?"

Naruto scowled at her interest in 'the bastard' as he'd nicknamed him.

"Yes Naruto-kun, where is Sasuke-kun?" Kakashi asked picking at his top. "It seems you've finished your little task, which means he should be finished too."

"Uh, he's, uh, a little, _tied up_ at the moment." Naruto said winking slyly at Sakura.

Sakura felt her brain spin. How did she get landed with these two clowns? They were worse than little brothers. Not that she'd ever had brothers.

"Well, " Sakura ground out, raising Naruto up onto his tiptoes by pulling on his t-shirt front. "Go, _untie_-him-up, and bring him here!"

Huffing, Sakura tried to regain her composure, she'd need all her whits around her to keep up the charade of chasing Sasuke to throw Kakashi off the scent of her and Itachi.

Before Naruto could run off and fulfil her command, Kakashi pulled off his gi top and tossed it to Naruto.

"Take this to soak, and bring me a clean one." He said.

Naruto opened his mouth to complain, but shut it again. One last wink towards Sakura and he left at top speed.

Sakura kept her eyes fixed on the ground as Kakashi flexed his arms beside her.

"Tea?" He asked picking up the only half full cup and offering it to her.

Sakura bobbed her head up and down and reached for the cup. Only to have it slip through her fingers as she noted the tattoo on Kakashi's left upper arm. Two lines swirling to an almost spiral at the centre with two long rays going up and down his arm. The sound of breaking pottery brought her back to the present.

"AH!" Sakura said for the second time. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's come over me!"

Kakashi looked at her strangely then rubbed a hand over the tattoo.

"Is this the first time you've seen a tattoo up close?" He asked an edge of amusment in his voice.

Sakura felt herself blush at his amusement. Curiosity ate at her, why did he have the same tattoo that Itachi had? In the same place? Biting her lip she considered how she would present the questioning.

"It looks...nice." She said with hesitation. "What is it?"

"This?" Kakashi paused. "Nothing special, just a design I liked."

He went back to regarding the grounds as Sakura swept up the broken cup as best she could.

_Liar!_ Sakura thought, keeping her blazing eyes well hidden.

"Oh, I guess it must have hurt huh?" Sakura asked lightly.

"Not so much, took a while to heal though." Kakashi said easily.

"Does, does Mr Uchiha know you have a tattoo?" She asked piling the larger pieces together.

"Yeees," Kakashi drawled looking at her curiously. "Why? Did you think he might fire me for having one?"

"He seems very strict." Sakura said. "I"m sure he'd never let his sons get tattoos."

Kakashi smiled as if she were just a little girl surrounded by things she couldn't understand yet. Internally Sakura rubbed her hands together, scenting a trail. Externally Sakura kept a silly, light smile on her face.

"I think you'd be surprised about what Uchiha-sama wants for his sons." Smiling mysteriously Kakashi stood up.

"I think I hear the boys coming, maybe you'd like to clean this up before Sasuke-kun arrives?"

Sakura blushed and hurried her cleaning. Seeing her supposed crush stalk around the corner, she lept up and rushed to meet him.

"Sasuke! There you are! Did you miss me?" And she slipped easily into the skin of a girl who thought only about winning the attention of her latest crush.

**Uchiha mansion, second kitchen.**

Sakura placed the empty glass onto the counter top. Thanking the maid for the drink she gathered her bag up and left the kitchen to try and find the front door and the waiting limousine.

After wandering hopelessly for a while, she pushed back a curtain and sat down on the window seat and wondering what would happen to her if noone ever found her before she died of starvation.

"Over here Sasuke." Itachi said.

Sakura almost jumped to her feet and rushed out to meet him when Sasuke entered the hall dragging his feet. Instead she pulled the shielding curtain a little more closed and peeked out at them.

Itachi stood staring down at his scowling brother, standing too close. Sasuke leaned against the wall his eyes searching the other end of the hall as if magnatised by some slowly moving object.

"Sasuke." Itachi warned

Sasuke seemed to resign himself and flicked his eyes up to his brothers, gazing steadily through his half lowered lashes. His face showed his dislike for being there, even if his eyes showed the faintest hint of hope.

"You've been meddling with my things Sasuke." Itachi said.

Sasuke snorted rolling his eyes and head back against the wall.

"If you're talking about the pink haired girl, you're welcome to her. She's too violent."

Itachi leaned one hand on the wall, his eyes never leaving his brother's. The beginnings of fear began to show in Sasuke's eyes.

"I'm talking about everything Sasuke." Itachi said softly.

Sasuke shivered at the tone. His arms raised and he gripped his own elbows unconsciously.

"I know you've been trying to follow me. I want you to stop."

"Why? You afraid I'll tell father?" Sasuke asked in a small voice empty of his normal arrogance.

"It's for your own good little brother." Itachi said taking Sasuke's dropping chin in his hand. "I don't want you mixed up in this. Understand?"

Sasuke sucked in a ragged breath, his eyes searching something in his brother's controlled face.

"Are you going against father?" He asked.

Itachi looked at Sasuke for a long moment. Then he lowered his hand to Sasuke's collarbone, his thumb just so against Sasuke's adam's apple. He pressed ever so slightly, Sasuke make a gagging sound. Sakura had to stiffle her gasp against the curtain. Neither Uchiha moved.

"Sasuke, do you remember when you were 6, and you made me angry that one time?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke dropped all pretence of strength and fear invaded his widened eyes.

"Stay out of this little brother, or you will anger me again." Itachi promised.

As if realising he was hurting Sasuke Itachi lifted his hand. Laying a gentle kiss on Sasuke's forehead, Itachi turned to go.

Sasuke made a move to grab his hand. Itachi looked back over his shoulder his eyes at once gentle and forbidding.

"Stay out of this Sasuke. Don't put yourself between us, you'll only get hurt. I don't want that."

Sasuke's hand fell back against the wall. Itachi turned to go again but before he had taken more than a few steps he paused again.

"Sasuke?" Itachi said.

Sasuke made no sign of hearing, but Itachi continued as if he knew he was being listened to.

"About Sakura, she has no part in this, she knows nothing of us, of the Uchihas. Let her stay that way." And he walked slowly out of the hall.

Sakura stayed hidded a little longer while Sasuke scrubbed at his face with clenched fists. After he'd left she slid out of the window seat trembling.

It was past time to go home.

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Next chapter we learn a little secret of Itachi's, the chapter after that I'll introduce two new characters again. I've had a few guesses, and they're getting close to the pair. hee hee.


	7. Going beyond

Well here comes Itachi as you've never seen him, and as he probably never knew he could be. But then, unlike in the manga, in my story Itachi certainly seems to enjoy having someone who loves him. **  
**Hope the OOCness isn't too far out there. Try thinking of Itachi, not as an unemotionless statue, but rather a very controlled person. Don't want to say any more as I prefer to let people form their own opinions.

Normal disclaimer guff. Naruto is the property of other people who have the big expensive lawyer.

P.S. There's something for you this chapter Miserymistmenthe!

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' going beyond**

** Konoha City**

Sakura felt her eyelids droop, and her head start to sway. Jerking back up she tried to focus on the moving scenery outside the bus's window. She'd spent most of last week in a state of nervous excitment and last night she hadn't slept at all.

She kept seeing the scene between Itachi and Sasuke running over in her head. Why had her Itachi done that? She saw again with horrified eyes, Itachi who seemed to coldly squeeze his brother's pale throat with one pale finger. The low voice that promised only pain to Sasuke if he continued to interfer. The tears harsly scrubbed away from Sasuke's face.

The sleepless nights were being to show on her face, so to avoid awkard questioning from her mother, Sakura had left the house to spend the day studying at the public library. She'd stayed there until she couldn't hold her head up any longer and had to admit defeat by going home. The sun was getting low, it'd be dinner time soon.

Sakura didn't even feel her forehead thunking against the window glass as she slept deeply.

**Konoha Bus Terminal**

"Miss, hey Miss." Someone said shaking her shoulder.

Groaning Sakura opened her eyes. She blinked fast at the unknown face of an old woman.

"Wha-?" Sakura said sitting up straighter.

Smiling the old woman shuffled off the empty bus. Looking around, the last vestiges of sleep falling away, Sakura realised she didn't recognise where she was at all. But she was alone. Groaning at her own stupidity, Sakura leaned her head into her hands. Getting off the bus Sakura found a map of the area on the wall of the terminal. Tracing bus paths she found another stop not too far away,which would take her to her neighbourhood, if a little further away than usual.

Reshouldering her bag and clutching the few folders she'd thought to take with her this morning as a cover, Sakura struck out into the city.

**Somewhere in the lower areas of Konoha City**

Sakura kept walking fast. She still hadn't found that damn busstop, and frankly she wasn't comfortable in the area. It was filled with bars, and other places. Up until now she'd managed to avoid a nasty encounter simply by walking fast, looking at nothing and noone, and not replying to any of the various calls she heard. She knew it couldn't last forever she had to find a busstop.

Pausing to catch her breath, Sakura leaned against a wall. She was suddenly wishing she'd never stopped taking Karate lessons simply because they weren't girly enough. Three days wasn't enough for this.

"Well hello little girl, wanna play?" A strange voice said beside her.

Jerking into a ready stance Sakura looked terrified up, up, up into the strange flat black eyes of the man talking to her. He smiled and Sakura had the impression that she was facing a shark, in his own territory.

"There's no need to be frightened." He started, his voice at once smooth with a hint of roughness at the end, as if his throat had once been injured.

He moved closer to her and Sakura had a moment to curse her choice of position when she felt the wall touch her back. His hair was blue, Sakura noted madly, her roving eyes taking in the details while her mind tried to calculate an escape plan. He dressed well enough, a suit with a shirt and polished shoes, and he was clean, she noted. And tall, and scary.

Sakura flinched as he reached a hand towards her face.

"Kisame."

Incrediably Sakura heard Itachi's voice behind the man.

"We don't have time for this."

'Kisame' looked over his shoulder at the source of the voice. He stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Never any fun time with you Itachi, it's all work, work, work." He complained lightly.

Kisame stepped away from her and Sakura felt her hopes climb as she saw Itachi standing behind him. Seeing her, Itachi's eyes widened in surprise then narrowed in suspicion. Stepping forward he gripped her by the upper arm and dragged her over to him.

"Ooo, Itachi, do you know her?" Kisame asked draping an arm over Itachi's shoulder, leaning in towards Sakura.

"She's my little brother's friend." Itachi said trying to shoulder Kisame's arm off.

Kisame gave that 'shark' grin again and tightened his grip on Itachi. Turning his head towards Itachi's cheek, he looked sideways at Sakura's pale face. Standing so close Sakura could see their bodies pressed together, the way Kisame's lips brushed against Itachi's skin as he spoke. Kisame's skin looked even darker next to Itachi's skin. Sakura started to blush, it was like she wasn't even there for them to do this in front of her.

"Do you think he shares?" Kisame said mockingly against Itachi's jaw.

Sakura didn't see what Itachi did, but it was fast and had a flash of silver in it, and Kisame was rolling on the ground after it. She hadn't known Itachi was so fast. Without bothering to check the taller man, Itachi dragged her towards the end of the street.

"I'll call you!" Kisame called out after them.

**Konoha public park**

Eventually Itachi stopped dragging her and slowed down to a normal walk. They were deep in the park, at this hour it was strangely empty. Panting Sakura found the chance to say something.

"Itachi!" She gasped.

He stopped suddenly, and turned on her eyes blazing, face flushed.

_He's angry,_ Sakura realised, _or scared._

"What are you doing here? Did my brother set you up to this, or my father? What did you see?" He demanded.

Sakura gulped, her tiredness suddenly came back and she felt tears prick her eyes again. She hugged her folders to her chest with her one free arm. Seeing the move Itachi stepped back, releasing her arm, running his hands over his face.

"Itachi," Sakura began.

"No." Itachi said from behind his hands. "It's alright, I'm just a little stressed right now."

He lowered his hands his face tired, gently he took her hand smiling at her. Sakura felt something in her respond to that small smile, but the rocking sick feeling she'd had ever since Kisame didn't go away.

"How did you get here?" He asked leading her somewhere she could sit down.

Sakura smiled tremulously and tried to stutter an answer. But it was as if her tongue was on strike, and her thoughts were all messed up. Itachi crouched in front of her taking both of her hands in his chafing them, his forehead wrinkled in thought. Sakura felt herself start to shake, when Itachi looked up at her worried she gave him a watery smile.

He was so different, at once cold and unmovable, then there were the flashes of anger which dissapeared as quickly as they came, then there were the moments like this. He could be so gentle, so caring that it was like the Itachi she'd seen yesterday, and the Itachi that walked the halls of his house and school was nothing but a pantomine. It was like he was a spinnng kalidescope of people and she only got glimpses of him.

Sakura wanted him to take her in his arms and tell her everything was alright, what he did was to bury his face in her hands.

"I'm sorry Sakura, did Kisame scare you?" He sighed as if letting something go.

Sakura shook her head, unable to speak. She felt Itachi smile against her hands.

"Liar." He said. "It's his job to be scary."

He turned his head to the side so he could see her. Sakura felt herself steady under the warm gaze he gave her. A small smile worked its way onto her lips. His face was warm in her hands. He brushed his lips against her palms, and Sakura found the heart to giggle slightly at the tickly feeling.

"I punish naughty girls who lie to me." He said.

Sakura blushed bright red, those were not the kind of words she was waiting for.

_I have definately been watching too many movies. _Sakura thought, trying to stop a host of highly innappropriate images from dancing in her head.

Itachi looked up and smiled at her. While she was dazzled by the amazing re-occurance of a smile on his face, his fingers found her sides. Moving quickly up and down her ribs his fingers left her gasping and laughing under his punishment.

"Ch-cheater!" She gasped around her laughs.

"How's that, cheater?" He asked with mock seriousness.

Sakura laughed harder under his new onslaught. Eventually he withdrew his hands resting them on his knees as he regarded his work. Sakura lay on her side on the bench, knees drawn up trying to protect herself, her face was red and tears covered her cheeks, her chest heaved as she tried to regain the ability to breath like a sane person. She blinked and focused her teary eyes on his face.

"Now, what do you mean a cheater?" He asked a mock scowl on his face.

Sakura couldn't remember the last time she'd seen so many different emotions on his face at once. She started to wonder just how well she knew Itachi. She reached her hand out to touch his face lightly.

"You smiled." She said to his uncomprehending face. "You never smile."

The mock scowl on his face slowly dropped away leaving him the same unemotional Itachi she was used to. Then slowly he blushed ever so faintly, it was more of a bare pinking of his cheeks than anything else, but Itachi _never_ blushed. Then as if making an effort he smiled at her again.

"I don't have much to smile about." He said simply. "But now there's you, so I guess I'll be doing it more often."

Sakura felt her heart squeeze at the pain in those words, to live without having something to smile about? She leaned forward to press her lips against his. He knelt there and quietly accepted the empathy she offered. There was no passion in the kiss, no fever, just the need to touch across the gulf that separated them. Itachi's eyes fluttered close and Sakura reached out with her arms to bring herself closer to him.

Now it was her turn to run her hands over him, and his turn to shiver under her touch. Gently she tried to pull him out of himself. To forget the things which made him so tense, so lose himself only in her.

He pushed forward until her upper back hit the back of the park bench. It was awkard for her, but she wouldn't stop for anything. His mouth grew hungerier and she had a moment of fear for where this would lead when he jerked back. His eyes were hot and he panted, his hair was half pulled out from his ponytail, his arms trembled as if he held himself up on willpower alone.

"Itachi." Sakura breathed, closing her eyes and offering her face to his.

"No." Itachi said.

Sakura's eyes flickered open, Itachi hadn't moved except to drop his head so the long loose hair covered her view of his face.

"You don't know what you're asking Sakura." He said raising his head, cheeks red, a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead an embarrassed smile on his face.

"You are not ready for more yet." He whispered.

Sakura didn't know whether to feel glad or sharply dissapointed. Itachi pushed back onto his heels, pulling out the useless hair tie. Without looking at her he tidied his hair back into its usual orderliness. Putting herself back into order Sakura had a burst of pure love and she threw herself onto him in a hug.

"GAAH!" Itachi said as he stumbled back landing hard on his butt with Sakura clinging to his neck.

She giggled and started messing with his hair.

"Oi! Get off! Are you insane!" Itachi asked, desperately trying to stop her without resorting to hurting her.

Eventually he caught both her hands and pinned them to the ground in front of them. Kneeling opposite him, Sakura laughed at his expression. He didn't know whether to laugh, or yell. He blew at the long strands of hair falling over his face again and glared at her. Sakura laughed harder.

Itachi hurumphed and sat back keeping an eye on her as he re-refixed his hair. Sakura fell silent as he worked.

"Itachi?" She said shyly.

"Hmm?" He said snapping the hairtie back into place.

"Who was that Kisame?"

Itachi paused in straightening his clothes.

"A friend of sorts." He said looking at her.

Sakura dropped her eyes, but she had to know, she had to understand.

"How did you meet him?"

"...If I tell you, do you promise not to tell anyone? Especially Sasuke or father?" He said.

Sakura nodded feeling nervous, being Itachi's girlfriend sure meant keeping alot of secrets. But she was ready to anything to help him, to make him happy.

"He and I work together. But father doesn't know I have this job." Itachi said sighing.

"If he found out I was working, he'd forbid me."

"What kind of work is it?" Sakura asked curiously.

Itachi looked over her shoulder as if considering a far off sight.

"I guess you could say it's security. Kisame and I work as a pair. We stand around mostly, looking big and scary. The real work is done by others, but one day we'll be promoted to something...more challenging."

Sakura felt happy for him, it seemed important to him to be free of his father. And a part time job was normal. Standing up Sakura looked at the time almost swallowing her own tongue.

"Mum's going to kill me!" She said trying to think how she was going to explain this.

Itachi snorted, sounding more and more like his brother. He pulled out the ever present cell phone and dialed her home number by habit.

"Hello, Mrs Haruno?" he said smoothly. "Yes, it's Itachi Uchiha, I ran into Sakura in town. Father has invited her back to dinner with us, does she have your permission?"

Again Sakura was surprised at her mother's quick approval. Itachi clipped his phone shut.

"How do you do that?" She asked still in shock. "If I'd asked she would've grounded me, then said no."

Itachi cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Your mother and father work for my father. He has made it clear that your presence pleases him. I believe they believe that it helps their careers to have you socialise with us."

Sakura blushed at how mercenary it made her parents seem.

"It's okay," he said, "there are very few people who do not wish something from my family."

Itachi picked up her bag and folders.

"But I know it's not money that you're chasing me for." He said turning away. "It's for a piece of my hot ass."

Sakura blushed right to the roots of her hair. Giving a thin cry of rage she threw herself after the already running Itachi.

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Kisame was a bonus for this chapter, I wasn't sure I was going to put him in until almost the last second, so there are still the promised two coming next chapter. See you there!


	8. Breaking the rules

Well here they are, but the new characters don't stop there! Yep while we're still gasping over the arrival of these two there are another two waiting in the wings for their call next chapter! Oh when will it end!

And in the meantime, what is the mysterious Itachi doing with all this time away? Lookie the Agatha Cristie in me coming out! Nah, not really.

Disclaimer, Naruto belongs to someone else. I'm fighting about a million other fangirls over Sasuke and Itachi though. Wish me luck!

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' breaking the rules **

**Konoha High Library**

This was why she hated studying in the school library, Sakura thought as for the umpteeth time she hunched her shoulders up to her ears to block out the sound of giggling. The library was a sacred place of study, if they wanted to compare hickeys and gossip over pointless boyfriends they could go somewhere else. Sakura hid herself behind the wall of propped up books she'd built.

'He's so cute!"

"He's beyond _cute_. Cute is for little boys, that girls, is a man."

Sakura's head lifted above the edge of her book almost against her will. If she ever had a fault, Sakura thought, too much curiousity was a major. It served her well for assignments, but in real life it tended to bite the outstretched hand.

She focused her eyes a little away from her on the object on the girl's fascination. Sitting facing away from them, his back ramrod straight his long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail tied at the end, sat the newest student at Konoha High. At his elbow sat an open book and his pen scratched studiously.

As if feeling eyes on him, he turned his head suddenly and looked at them. Sakura couldn't stop the start that shot through her when she saw his eyes.

For an instant she believed they were white, then she realised they were just a pale, pale blue. A blue like an icicle hanging in the sunlight. She had to admit, she told herself as she ducked her head studiously back down to her own book, he was handsome, and not in a boyish way.

But there was no comparing him to her Itachi. Itachi's beauty, she reflected forgetting her studies as she contemplated the object of her obessesion, was more delicate, like a fine china statue ready to shatter at a rude push. This boy, she thought stubbornly, was more of the strong, silent, almost soap opera type. Square jaw, clean lines, high cheek bones. The only softening thing about him was his hair. He wasn't even in the same catagory as her Itachi.

Beside her the other girls burst into giggles. The boy returned to his studies as if the undivided attention of a group of girls neither annoyed nor interested him.

_As cold as his eyes._ Sakura thought to herself.

Blowing out her non-studious thoughts with a breath she returned to her studying. Being a genius was work, no matter what people thought.

**Konoha High cafeteria**

Sakura stood for a moment scanning the tables for an empty spot. Itachi was away from school again. He'd been missing more and school recently, always out 'working' with his father. That meant that lunch times had become a bit of a battle to find a place.

_That'll teach me to put all my lunch table eggs into one basket._ Sakura grumbled to herself.

Making her way to Itachi's old table, she found it almost empty as usual. It seemed the older Uchiha's reputation was such that 'his' table was always the last one to fill with gabbling students. Which meant if Sakura was quick enough she could sit there before anyone else. To the mind of the student community, Sakura had a permanent spot at that table so noone pushed her out. As long as she got there first. Second was without pity.

Today on arriving at the table she found a girl her own age sitting there hunching over her lunch tray. Sakura hesitated for a moment, wondering what would happen if she accidently sat down in the place of one of the girl's friends who were probably still getting their trays together. Screwing her courage up she slid slowly into the spot at the far, opposite end of the table.

The other girl didn't move. Sakura started eating keeping one eye on the other girl. The girl sat hunched in a jacket, her short hair falling forward hiding her face, which was directed at the top of the heap of mashed potatos she was eating. Sakura was just starting to relax into her place when all of a sudden she heard it.

"SAKURA-SWEETIE!"

Sakura almost inhaled her spoon. _Everyone_ in the cafeteria craned their heads to look, even the cafeteria workers. In the doorway stood Naruto, tray in his hands, in uniform. The uniform of her school.

_Kill me._

Sasuke walked past him, trying to ignore him. Sasuke usually sat alone at the corner of any table he chose for his that day, today however it seemed that was changing. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm almost overturning their trays.

"Get off idiot." Sasuke growled.

"Are you blind?" Naruto asked indicating Sakura with his tray, the hot lunch sliding dangerously close to the edge of the tray. "Sakura-sweetie's over there!"

"And?" Sasuke hissed trying to free his arm.

Naruto rolled his eyes and dragged Sasuke forward.

_Please._

Sakura considered the head of her spoon, wondering if she could kill herself quickly enough with it. Before she could decide yes or no Naruto slid into place next to her.

Glancing at the silent girl across from him, Naruto gave a cheery grin as she peeked up. She blushed and quickly looked down, her nose almost touching the mashed potatos now. Sasuke slid into place at the far end of the bench leaving space between him and Naruto. Slowly the normal babble rose in the cafeteria again. Sakura just knew that they were the subject of all of it.

_Suicide is not the answer._ Sakura told herself feeling irritation start to rise in her. _Killing Naruto, now there's an option._

"Sakura-sweetie! Look I go to your school now. Isn't it great? Actually I'm here, to you know." Naruto winked and nudged her.

Sakura frowned at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said shortly.

Naruto indicated Sasuke's disgruntled form, currently spearing unsuspecting vegetables with the end of a blunt butter knife.

"I'm his bodyguard."

Sasuke turned like lightning.

"I told you to shut up idiot! In school you're even susposed to talk to me!" Sasuke looked on the point of stabbing Naruto through the eye with his knife.

The silent girl gasped at the display. Sakura looked over at her quickly.

Sakura gave a start when she saw the girl's eyes. White. No, that pale, pale blue. The same blue as the young man's. The girl looked terrified, suddenly Sakura felt a stab of pity for her. Sakura wondered why she hadn't realised it earlier, the girl was new, she wasn't waiting for anyone, she didn't know anyone. And now her first social encounter at the school was going to be left in the hands of the Destructo Twins.

Slamming her tray on the table Sakura stood up and leaned over Naruto to stare Sasuke in the eye.

"If you don't put that down Sasuke Uchiha, I will make you regret it." She promised putting every ounce of physical pain she'd ever caused him into each word.

It hadn't been much but apparently he didn't want more, because he looked at her like she'd grown another head and put the knife down. Feeling better Sakura sat down, glancing back at Sasuke to make sure he was still behaving she saw Naruto's shocked face.

Like a cold wave she remembered that in Naruto's mind she was madly, insanely crushing on Sasuke. With Naruto in school she would have to keep up the act here as well, this was becoming more and more complicated. Clenching her fists under the table, her giant sized brain went into overdrive.

"After all if you get detention, we won't be able to have our date this afternoon." She said almost calmly, picking up her spoon again.

Sasuke choked on his green beans and Naruto's climbing smile, fell.

"What date?" Sasuke demanded.

Ready for the refusal, Sakura turned an anguished face on him.

"B-but Sasuke! It's our two week aniversary, I thought for sure you'd want to celebrate it by taking me out after school!"

Sasuke looked caught between surprise and revulsion. Sakura had figured out that Sasuke had a severe aversion to all public displays of; affection, clinging, desperation, CRYING, pleading, and above all that, desperate girls who threw themselves at him. The last made him run screaming. So all she had to do to keep up the illusion of crushing on Sasuke, without risking doing anything that would hurt Itachi, was to push the desperation act to the extreme. Throwing herself at him was probably the surest way to ensure she was always chasing and never catching.

She sniffled a little for good effect.

Sasuke dropped his head as if embarrassed and poked a little at his food.

"Gettof you're being stupid." He muttered.

Sakura hid a smile of triumph. This Naruto at school thing could have its benefits, now she could torment Sasuke all day. That'd teach him to mess her around.

Before she could congratulate herself anymore she noticed the way the new girl seemed to be mesmerised by Naruto, who was busy trying to build a pyramid out of his food. Noticing Sakura's eyes on her, the girl blushed and stood up collecting her tray.

"Wait!" Sakura said. "Don't leave so quickly I haven't even learned your name yet."

The girl hesitated, looking down at her half empty tray.

"Hi-hi-hi…" She started in an impossibly small voice.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked, pausing in his attempt to stick his spoon to his nose to amuse Sasuke.

"Anna," Sasuke said glaring at Naruto and yanking the spoon off his nose, "her name is Anna, she's in our classes moron."

"Oh," Sakura said delighted.

A new girl her own age, someone who possibly hadn't been contaminated against her yet. A chance to make a semi-normal friend.

"Hinata!" A voice said angrily.

The girl jumped and turned around almost hugging her tray. Striding across the lunch room was the same young man from the library, his light blue eyes fixed like twin daggers on the poor trembling girl. Now that she could see him better, she had to admit he was handsome and he had a certain way of moving that made you watch him. What made Sakura stare was the fact that he was wearing an athelete's jacket.

_He's a jock?_ She wondered surprised. _A jock who studies rather than hitting on the girls?_

Looking back to where he'd come she noticed a gap at the 'popular' table.

_Great a jock and he's in the IN crowd. _

"What are you doing talking to these people?" He asked, as if the words 'these people' and 'trash' were the same words.

He took her by the upper arm as if ready to drag her away. Hinata smiled weakly, denying talking to anyone at the table. Sakura started trembling with rage at his behaviour. Sasuke snorted leaning forward and resting his chin on the back of his linked hands. He said nothing, but his pose spoke volumes. Naruto sat beside him, a look that said clearly 'I think I've been insulted, but I'm not sure', look on his face. Sakura took the direct route.

"She was doing just fine, you –you- you..." Sakura tried to think up a good word to use that wouldn't leave her feeling like she had a 'potty mouth' as her mother called it.

"Asshole." Sasuke supplied.

Internally Sakura repeated the word brandishing a fist in the face of the jock, externally Sakura shot Sasuke a look that said 'let me fight my own battles!'

The jock looked Sakura up and down, then dismissed her with a turn of his head. Sakura felt heat rising in her face.

_Oh no he didn't!_ Sakura shrieked to herself.

_Oh I think he did!_ Internal Sakura confirmed

Before she could climb over the table and give him a piece of her own mind. Sasuke had picked up the conversation with his habitual smirk.

"So, the incredible Neji has come to rescue his cousin Anna from the clutches of the evil Sasuke and his minions of mayhem?"

"Hinata." Sakura corrected automatically.

"Do I know you?" Neji asked coldly.

"You should." Sasuke said smiling in a superior fashion.

Sakura could see the memories flicking over in Neji's head. Apparently finding the revelent memory he smirked in return.

"Uchiha." He said.

"That's right." Sasuke said as if speaking to a child, a slow child. "We met at the last shindig at your uncle's place."

Sasuke looked viciously into Neji's face, which had stilled to the point of ice.

"I still remember what I learned there." Leaving the cryptic sentance hanging, Sasuke leaned back.

Feeling that the fight was over, Sakura sank back into her seat confused as to what had finished it. Neji hadn't released Hinata's arm, he seemed to have forgotton she existed.

"Ne-Neji." She whispered. "You're hurting me."

He released her arm as you would release a sick rat. Sakura was surprised he didn't wipe his hand on his jacket.

"Hinata go sit somewhere else." He ordered, turning to leave.

"I-I'd like to stay here, please." Hinata asked quietly.

Neji stopped as if she'd pushed a button.

"Your father has ordered me to.."

"You don't need to worry." Hinata promised, breaking in, a spark of hope in her eyes. "I won't do anything to anger father."

She placed the tray down with trembling arms and sat down as if expecting to be yanked back to her feet at any moment.

"P-please? They're just friends." She said hopefully.

Naruto nodded his head energetically. Sakura glared at him, her battle blood still pumping. Sasuke smirked and spread his hands as if it was obvious.

"I see your choice of friends hasn't improved." He remarked with a scowl. "Make sure your father doesn't find out about them. I'm not taking the heat for your idiocy."

Turning on his heel he stalked back to his place at the IN table, leaving a trail of whispering, of jealous and of amourous looks behind him.

"Is he always so..." Naruto made a hand gesture.

Hinata blushed, stammering, she looked over towards Sakura helplessly. Sakura smiled broadly and held out her hand.

"Hi Hinata, I'm Sakura Haruno. Pleased to meet you."

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I guess alot of people guessed who they were going to be, boo :( , but can you do as well for the next two? You have 24 hours to make a submission. Well done to Yokaigurl and YoukaiOnigiri for their close guesses. Now I need to think of a prize I guess. Hmmmmmm


	9. Raising the stakes

Well the chapters are progressively getting longer, but I'm not going to let them get too long, it would change the pace of the story. I'm not too pleased that this one is going to be a two parter, I would prefer to keep them as short chapters, neat and precise. Oh well, when I finish it (yes I have an end in mind,) I can perphaps redo it all so it flows better.

Disclaimer, cut and paste the disclaimer from before, I'm too lazy.

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' raising the stakes**

** Konoha High**

_Life is not that bad. _Sakura reflected._ If a little busy._

She hurried through the corridors of her schools a mission on her mind. Find Sasuke Uchiha and show him some loving. After he'd repulsed her, catch up with Hinata, her new best friend. By moving as fast as she could through her days, she could almost forget that she hadn't seen Itachi in almost an week now. Even at his house she didn't catch so much of a glimpse of him. Not at training with Kakashi, nor before she left after tutoring Sasuke. Even Sasuke was complaining that noone was at home anymore.

Sighting her target, Sakura crept up behind him.

"Sasuke!" She squealed in his unsuspecting ear.

"Yaaah! Gettof you stupid female." He snapped, spinning around and putting his back to the wall as if expecting her to physically attack him.

"Bye Sasuke."

"Yeah, bye Sasuke!"

A couple of girls hurried past calling out goodbyes, blushing and bursting into giggles as Sasuke replied by turning his head away.

"Sakura-sweetie!" Naruto said trying to grab her hand around the double pile of books he was carrying.

"Hi, Naruto." Sakura said, ignoring his attempt as Hinata crept through the door last of all.

"Hi Hinata!" Sakura said.

"Hi Sakura." Hinata said quietly, giving a soft smile.

Sakura held down the giggle that shot through her, Hinata was sooo cute! And so lady like, and so gentle, and so pretty with her pale face and pale blue eyes and silky dark hair. Sakura was simply loving having a real friend at school. A year of being alone, as great as it was to have trailed around after Itachi her first year here, made her appreciate her first female friend.

With Hinata's gentle nature, Sakura felt like carrying her around all day like a fluffy kitten. Before Sakura could start chatting with Hinata, Sasuke's voice slid through the pink haze of happiness.

"Geez, are you desperate or what?"

Sakura felt the cold blue of reality slip back in. Restraining the natural glare forming itself on her face, Sakura turned a sweet face on him. Sasuke took a step back, looking like he regretted his words.

"Sasuke, you know the only person I'm desperate for is you." She said as sweetly as she could.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he turned his head away humphing. Naruto stared at Sasuke.

"Eh, are you blushing Sasuke?" He asked.

"No! Idiot." Sasuke snapped back, "And don't drop my books, idiot."

"I don't see why I have to carry them, I need to be ready at any moment to defend your life you know." Naruto said seriously, looking around as if expecting hired killers to burst out in the halls of Konoha High.

"I could carry them, i-if you l-liked." Hinata said, blushing harder.

Naruto looked at her frail arms, shaking his head he hitched the heavy pile back up against his chest.

"Nah, it's okay."

"Okay." Hinata said in a little voice.

"Hinata!" A male voice called out.

As one, the four turned to face the speaker. Sakura found her fists clenching naturally, sure that it was Neji calling out to his cousin. She'd worked up a healthy dislike for his superior 'thou are not worth the air you breathe' attitude. The only person who could make him back off was Sasuke, and she still didn't know why or how. Her curiousity itched to know that one. Even Naruto had assumed a defensive stance between Hinata and the speaker.

It turned out to be a tall, thin boy, with a heavy bowl cut and the thickest eyebrows she'd ever seen. He was, Sakura thought, _original_ in looks. His uniform, though, was impeccable, and when he arrived in front of the group he stood up straight as if he was in a military parade. Extending his arm to shake Sasuke's hand, he eventually gave up as Sasuke stayed arms crossed, a silent stare on his face. Gathering himself together, the young man addressed Hinata, still standing behind Naruto.

"Hinata! Have you given any more thought to our offer?"

Hinata looked a little embarrassed.

"Yes, but I still don't know if I can convince my father to.."

"At least come to one meeting. Bring your friends!" He enthused. "You have to profit from your college years!"

"Uh." Hinata said.

"A meeting?" Naruto asked pushing futher forward. "What kind of meeting, and who are you anyway?"

The boy ignored him which made Naruto scowl, instead the boy addressed himself to Sasuke.

"My name is Rock Lee, 4th form, 14 years old, rising star of the Konoha High athletics team."

"So it's an athletic meeting?" Sasuke asked blandly. "Hinata doesn't seem to be the type to go out for athletics."

Sakura bristled for her friend, she was sure Hinata would do fine if she wanted to try.

"Uh, no." Lee said, momentarily thrown, regaining his train of thought he continued. "It's for the Darts club."

"The what?" Sakura asked.

"The Darts club. It's a club that my friend is starting up. We need at least five members before the principal will accept our status as official."

"What good is a Darts club?" Naruto asked letting Hinata step forward to stand beside him.

"Well, I guess that, it's Tenten's favorite pass time, and she thought it'd be cool if she started a club. You know really live it up a little while we're still young." Lee said a thoughtful look passing over his face.

Sakura watched Hinata carefully, she'd learned over the week that Hinata tended to follow the strongest opinion rather than push her own. Sakura knew the job of a good friend was to make sure Hinata got her way sometimes too. Hinata seemed interested, if hesitant.

_What would one meeting hurt?_ Sakura thought.

"Sure, we'll try one meeting." She said standing beside Hinata and Naruto.

Hinata nodded shyly, Naruto looked unsure, then he nodded and said.

"I guess if Sakura-sweetie is going, Sasuke and I are going too."

"Hey! Whatdya mean me too?" Sasuke demanded angrily.

"Well I'm going, and I have to keep you safe, I can't do that if you're not with me, so you get to come too." Naruto said glaring at Sasuke.

Feeling the approach of another Sasuke vs Naruto argument coming on, Sakura stepped forward.

"Please Sasuke? Just once, to make Hinata happy." She pleaded, batting her eyelashes.

Sasuke drew back, a look of panic on his face, this time a definate, if faint, blush spread over his cheeks.

"F-for Hinata's sake." He stuttered his agreement.

Regaining his composure he crossed his arms and scowled at her.

"But only once. After that I don't want you bugging me anymore."

"'kay!" Sakura said brightly.

"Tomorrow morning 10 o'clock, here's the address." Lee handed out little business cards.

_Wow professional._ Sakura thought, turning it over in her hands.

Giving a last wave, Lee left at high speed.

"Are we going now?" Sasuke asked bored. "I still have to suffer through an extra lesson with Sakura."

"Suffering you call it?" Naruto said shocked. "If only I were as dumb as you, then I could pass soft hours alone being showered with the attention of the beautiful Sakura."

Sasuke thumped him over the head.

"I'm not the idiot, you are." He growled. "I'm only taking the lessons 'cause father forces me to."

"Oh yeah then why are you in remedial subjects?" Naruto asked snidely.

"Why are you in remedial with me?" Sasuke shot back.

"'Cause you're there." Naruto said pulling down one lower eye lid and poking out his tongue. "So I have to be."

"I don't need a bodyguard, father's being paranoid. I can take care of myself." Sasuke hissed back giving a hand sign.

Sakura groaned, if she didn't know better, she'd swear they enjoyed fighting together.

"Idiot."

"Bastard."

"Enough!" Sakura said. "If you want to display your male hormones go ahead, but Hinata and I are going to wait for you outside."

She and Hinata walked ahead, after a short pause they heard the boys running after them.

"Wait up! Sakura-sweetie! I'm coming!"

**The Shurikan, Konoha**

"A bar!" Sakura said shocked.

She double checked the address on the card and matched the name to the neat sign hung outside. She was about to turn away when Lee arrived next to her out of breath.

"Sakura! I'm glad you found it." He panted, pulling himself up straight.

Staring at him, Sakura started as a blush crept over his cheeks while he looked at her.

_Gaaah! No thanks! Where's Sasuke when you need him?_

"Sakura." Sasuke said appearing next to her, eyeing the blushing Lee. "Whaddya do to him?"

"Nothing," Sakura said defensively, "where's Naruto?"

"Oh he's coming later." Sasuke said nonchantly.

Sakura felt a sinking sensation in her stomach. Sasuke's cell phone started ringing. Flipping it open he adopted a arrogant pose.

"Yes? This is Sasuke Uchiha, who's calling please?"

"SASUKE YOU BASTARD! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU'RE DEAD!" Naruto's voice screamed down the line.

Sasuke smirk grew deeper.

"You have to find me first idiot."

Sakura wapped Sasuke over the head and grabbed his cell phone. Sasuke rubbed his head and let her take the phone.

"Naruto! Where are you?" She demanded.

"Sakura-sweetie, I'm still at the house, Sasuke tricked me!"

"Big surprise." Sakura muttered shooting Sasuke a killer glare.

Sasuke looked surprised, then he slouched and turned away as if unconcerned.

"Here's the address, get here quick!" Sakura ordered.

After giving the address, she flipped the cellphone shut and handed it back to Sasuke, who slipped it into his pocket and pushed open the door.

"But we're not old enough to enter a bar!" Sakura said, internally she was hopping with curiosity, externally she was wringing her hands in worry.

"It's okay it's closed anyway." Lee said holding open the door for her.

Uncertain she entered the bar. She had to admit she was a little dissapointed, it didn't look scary or seedy or dishonest or anything. It looked nice, almost like a cafe except the colours were a little darker than normal. Sasuke leaned on the bar next to Lee who was explaining something to do with the power of youth. Sakura wandered around a little, touching things absently.

The door swung open with force and Sakura turned expecting to see Naruto come rushing through but instead a tall lanky girl wearing her hair in two buns on the back of her head burst through.

"5 minutes 21 seconds." She panted, checking her watch. "I'm improving."

She stood up straight and looked at the people in the room. Her eyes lighting on Lee she strode over.

"Good work Lee, with four people we only need one more to be official!"

Lee stood to attention before her, or maybe that was simply his natural pose.

"There are two more people yet to arrive Tenten. They're all friends of Hinata."

"Excellent, excellent." Tenten said leaping the bar and landing lightly on the other side. "Can I get you guys something to drink?"

"Whisky." Sasuke said.

Tenten ignored him, she indicated Sakura with her chin.

"You there, the pink haired girl, whaddya want? I got water, coca cola, lemonade, fruit juice." Tenten said quickly rattling off the list.

"Uh, water thanks." Sakura said approaching the bar and extending her hand. "I'm Sakura Haruno."

Tenten took her hand in a strong grip and bounced it up and down a few times.

"Tenten. This is my Dad's place, it's going to be a great club headquaters. We can use it whenever we want as long as it's before 6pm." She shoved a glass of water at Sakura.

Lee opened his mouth to order, but Tenten fixed him with a glare. She shoved a glass of water at him and he sighed.

"I can drink a little you know." He said.

"No way, you on a sugar or caffine high is not what these guys need to see." Tenten said shortly.

"I hope Hinata gets here okay." Sakura said sipping her water, wishing her little friend was there.

"I saw her at practice this morning, it seems Neji will be bringing her over." Lee said taking his sports jacket out of his bag and putting it neatly over a chair.

"Maybe we can recruit him too." Tenten mused a gleam coming into her brown eyes. "If he joined we'd get more members easily.

Noticing Sasuke didn't have a drink, Tenten shoved a glass of water at him too. Sasuke opened his mouth to protest, but Tenten had already moved on.

"Are you serious, have you ever tried to even talk to him? He's a major, stuck up, rude, little..." Sakura said, warming up to her subject.

"Asshole." Sasuke said draining his glass in one gulp.

Tenten shook her head.

"Yeah maybe, but just think of the publicity it would give the club!"

"Tenten is giving her all to make this club a success." Lee said proudly.

The door pushed open slowly and Hinata's head poked through. She gave a shy smile and entered.

"Hinata!" Sakura said happily.

Tenten waved her in, pouring another glass of water.

"Is your cousin coming too?" She asked, handing the glass over.

"N-no," Hinata said shyly, "he said he has better things to do with his Saturday mornings."

Tenten humphed, and put her hands on her hips. Hinata ducked her head and sipped at her water. Sakura put her arm around Hinata and glared up at Tenten.

"But we don't want him here anyway. We already have enough people." Sakura said loudly, daring Tenten to keep pushing after Neji.

"Yeah, I guess." Tenten said sighing.

Her glare gone as quick as it had come Tenten smiled and gestured broadly to the bar around them.

"Welcome to the Shuriken, headquarters of the Konoha High Darts Club! I'm Tenten the president. He's Lee, the vice president. You guys already know each other so I won't waste my time. We need you to sign the register then we can start the first meeting!"

Tenten passed around a green notebook and everyone dutifully signed their names, even Sasuke who, naturally, smirked when he handed it back.

Happily patting the notebook Tenten opened her mouth to continue her speech when the door almost burst off its hinges swinging open hard enough that everyone inside winced. Like a miniture whirlwind Naruto entered the bar, eyes wild, hair pink.

Sakura gagged on her mouthful of water. Even Hinata started coughing, Lee raised an impossibly thick eyebrow, while Tenten openly stared. Sasuke started smirking, which turned into muffled laughter. He curled his upper chest over the bar as if afraid to let out all the laughter in his body. As if afraid such a release would hurt him, or be dangerous.

"SASUKE!" Naruto yelled at a previously unknown decibal. "PREPARE TO DIE!"

"B-but idiot, it looks g-good on you!" Sasuke gasped out, fighting a desperate battle for self control.

"DIE BASTARD!" Naruto screamed, launching himself at the still laughing Sasuke who struggled into a fighting stance.

Sakura closed her eyes, this time it was serious, and she didn't want to see the end.

"KONOHA WHIRLWIND!"

A series of thuds later, Sakura slowly opened one eye. Naruto lay twitching on the ground, while Sasuke stood staring at the dart quivering between his feet.

Lee stood over the floored Naruto, a serious look on his face.

"I'm sorry I had to do that Naruto, but I can not allow you to use violence to solve your dispute with Sasuke."

For a moment, Sakura felt a stab of respect for Lee. It dissapeared as Lee noticed her looking at him and he gave her a dorky thumbs up and winked at her. Sakura looked away and found Tenten twirling a dart easily between her fingers.

"Well, shall we get started?" She said calmly.

Naruto groaned and struggled to his feet. Sasuke sat back down, the habitual smirk on his face, all trace of laughter gone.

"It's not permanent idiot. It'll wash out by Monday." He said as if it was obvious. Turning back to Tenten, he looked at her boredly.

"So Miss President, what's on the menu for today?"

"Well," Tenten started,

"Hey, who said she's president?"Naruto grumbled.

Pulling out a cap he shoved it on to his head, hiding his hair.

"I did pinky." Tenten said, twirling her dart again.

Naruto had his stubborn face on again, Sakura's head sank onto the counter top, this could only go down hill.

"Well I say we should vote on it." Naruto said glaring at Tenten.

"Well I say I started this club and that makes me president."

"Well.." Naruto started.

"We-we could compete for it." Hinata said, putting a hand on Naruto's arm.

She blushed and removed her hand quickly looking at the ground.

"I-I mean if you think we should." She whispered.

"Hell yeah." Naruto said swinging his arm around in circle. "That way I can challenge the bastard and show him who's boss."

"Whenever, where ever _pinky_." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto clenched his fist.

"Oh yeah, this'll be good." He promised a fire lighting in his eyes.

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Do you mean to tell me noone saw Tenten coming? Nevermind, Kunoichi008 you were halfway there with Lee,not bad. Next chapter it's the battle for leadership, and Itachi returns! Afterall, Sakura's getting desperate and I think she deserves a little loving after the week she's had. But how is Sasuke really doing with all this seesawing from Sakura? One moment she's all over him, the next he's dirt. How much confusion can one teenaged boy take? Ja ne people.


	10. Fighting it out

Not much to say this time, other than it's hiliday time for me soon so I'll be taking a couple of days off soon, but I'll work on the story in my head I promise! Oh, thanks to Kunoichi 008 for the idea. It's alot better like this!

Disclaimer; No I don't own Naruto or the other characters, I just write about them because they are so cool.

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' fighting it out**

**The Shuriken, Konoha**

"Prepare to lose, bastard."

"Whatever idiot."

"Right, it's decided. This competition will be in three parts." Sakura said standing infront of them. "Naruto, Sasuke, you're first. Remember highest score wins. Fight fairly, go!"

She hit the start button and the machine lit up.

"DANCEMANIA!" The machine called, a techno beat pouring out.

Behind them everyone sat in a semi-circle watching the two boys desperately trying to keep up with the flashing lights.

"Who decided on this test?" Sakura asked sitting down a smile jerking at her lips.

"We did." Tenten said grinning. "Leadership requires grace and strength, and seeing as it's a darts club, skill with darts."

Lee nodded, another glass of water in his hand.

"And you just happened to have one of these things lying around." Sakura said dryly.

Tenten grinned wider.

"My Dad's place is a favourite with local Japanese, he does a full out Japanese night once a month. Karaoke, Dancemania, sushi, japanese beer, sake, japanese music."

"So I guess you've played this alot then?" Sakura asked shrewdly.

Tenten nodded, leaning back in her chair hands behind her head. Sakura chuckled and shook her head. They were in a second room, one dedicated to gaming. There were pool tables, dart boards, a table football game, an air hockey game, a karaoke machine, even a jukebox.

Hinata sat, her eyes glued onto the backs of the dancing boys. Sakura chuckled again, it was so obvious that Hinata was crushing on Naruto.

_I guess it must be true love, afterall, it's not every girl who can look at their crush with pink hair and not bat an eyelash._

Sakura's brow furrowed in thought.

_This is going to become more complicated if I have to keep, 'crushing' on Sasuke, 24/7. _Sakura sighed. _Itachi, where are you?_

Lee touched her hand, Sakura glanced up at him.

"Sakura? If there's anything bothering you, just tell me and I will do my utmost to solve it." He promised solemnly.

That made the third time he'd promised to solve her life's problems today.

"It's okay Lee, it's not really a problem that another person can solve." She said truthfully.

Slipping into her 'I adore Sasuke' mode, she leaned her chin onto one hand gazing rapturously at Sasuke's back, imaging it was Itachi.

Eventually the two boys fell to the platform floor gasping.

"Hah!" Naruto said. "You fell first, I win!"

"Look at the scores idiot." Sasuke said pulling himself upright and walking off the platform.

The scores were indeed in Sasuke's favour.

"Bastard." Naruto said dragging himself off.

Hinata offered him a glass of water and scooched over so he could sit next to her. She blushed and started tapping her fingers together when he accepted. Unfortunately Naruto was more interested in ignoring Sasuke than in acknowledging the blushing girl. Sakura imitated her with Sasuke.

This is cool, all I have to do is copy Hinata, but be louder and pushier, and this crushing thing is in the bag!

"Well we're next Lee, are you ready to show these guys what dancing is all about?" Tenten asked hopping to her feet.

"Yosh! Let's do it Tenten, let the flames of our youth burn up the dance floor!" He said running for the machine.

"Lee! You don't mean?" Tenten said a cross look on her face.

Lee turned pleading eyes on her.

"Please Tenten, let me choose the style." His eyes slipped over to Sakura.

Noticing Lee's look Tenten sighed and made and okay sign with her hand. Lee clenched his fist in triumph.

"Sakura! Watch me as I dance the steps of our love!" Lee yelled back to her.

Sakura felt herself pull a face, beside her she saw Sasuke's face twitch and his hand clench on his glass.

She opened her mouth to yell at Lee when the music started. Disco music drowned out her yell.

_DISCO! These are the steps of our love?_ Sakura felt physically sick.

Lee and Tenten immediately started grooving to the beat, she had to admit they were really good. Techinally Tenten was scoring higher, but it was Lee who was moving with the groove, so to speak, with his arms and everything. Every now and then he would glance over his shoulder to see the effect his dancing was having on Sakura. Though it was unsure if he understood the real cause of Sakura's wide-eyed stare.

"Feh, what an idiot." Sasuke muttered. "Right Sakura?"

When Sakura didn't respond he repeated the question, it wasn't until he pushed her that she broke out of her stupor.

"Gaah, the horror." She said dizzily.

Smirking Sasuke settled back in his chair.

Finishing the song, Tenten stepped gracefully down and indicated the scores.

She was even higher than Sasuke. Lee had equalled Sasuke. He wiped the sweat from his brow and slid into a seat next to Sakura giving her a thumbs up. Sakura smiled weakly back.

"Well I give up." Sakura said, her stomach still queasy.

"M-me too." Hinata said.

"How can you just give up?" Naruto asked breaking out of his concentrated 'ignoring of Sasuke' pose.

"I don't want to be president." Sakura said.

Hinata nodded her agreement.

"Well there's still the strength test to come and the darts test." Naruto said counting them off on his fingers. "If I win both of those I'll be president. Then I'll make Sasuke my slave."

Sasuke muttered something along the lines of 'what an idiot' and went back to ignoring everyone.

"Right well onto the second test." Tenten said cheerfully pulling out a jar.

Turning the jar around they saw the label, Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Sakura was suddenly glad she'd stepped out of the race. Naruto showed only surprise on his face.

"What kind of strength test is that?" He asked crossing his arms squinting his eyes almost shut.

"The best, strength of will." Tenten said setting the jar down between them all.

Everyone gazed at the jar. Tenten opened it slowly.

"Right, everyone who's backing out, better do so now." She said cheerfully.

"No way, I'm going to be president!" Naruto said fixing Sasuke with a glare.

"I already beat you idiot, I've got no reason to keep going." Sasuke said arrogantly.

"Chicken?" Naruto asked a smirk on his face.

Sasuke turned his head away. Sakura felt the germ of an evil idea.

"Wow, Naruto if you can eat those you must be really strong!" Sakura said enthusiastically.

"Heh, yep! It takes alot of strength, strength the bastard doesn't have!"

"Yeah, I guess so," Sakura sighed looking dissapointed. "I really thought Sasuke was cooler than that, wait until Kakashi-sensei hears about this."

Sasuke took a chilli pepper out.

"Great!" Tenten said happily pulling one out herself.

Lee and Naruto followed her. As one they gulped them down. Naruto started pounding the table coughing, almost reaching for his glass of water. Sasuke hissed, his face turning red, but made no move for his glass. Tenten fanned herself, sweat popping out on her forehead. Lee munched happily his cheeks turned faintly pink. Everyone took out a second.

By the fourth, Naruto's body was spasming in pain on the floor but he refused to stop. Sasuke was almost fuschia, his face was so red. He'd dropped the unaffected act and panted his mouth open. Sakura had to giggle at his undignified expression. He shot her a look and pulled himself together, Sakura could only guess how much it cost him to shut his mouth and sit up straighter. Tenten was gulping down water, standing up she ran out of the room.

Lee looked around the table, he was sweating a little but otherwise seemed fine. He pulled out a fifth and popped it into his mouth. Sasuke's shaking hand reached out for a fifth aswell, Naruto's trembling hand appeared at the table edge. Their hands met over the jar.

"Get off idiot," Sasuke said weirdly as if it hurt to speak.

"I'm not done yet." Naruto said in the same strange way.

"I said, get off!" Sasuke said louder.

"No! Make me!" Naruto retorted his head appearing over the edge.

Their hands fought back and forth each trying to grab the jar, until typically Naruto gave it one good sweep and Sasuke batted his hand down only to knock the jar over the edge of the table, where it shattered.

"Lee wins!" Sakura crowed looking at the two faces of the devasted boys.

As one the two boys dashed after Tenten. Lee swallowed his fifth and grinned.

"My Foster Dad cooks real spicy things all the time." He explained.

Sakura had a moment to register the words 'foster dad', when Tenten appeared a box of darts under her arm. Her face was still pink.

"Well I guess Lee won?" She asked.

"Do you need to ask?" Sakura said with a laugh, "You planned it that way."

Tenten grinned.

"A good strategist leaves nothing to chance and counts no eggs before they're hatched."

She set down the box and the three girls started looking through the darts choosing the ones with the prettiest colours.

Hinata chose three that were blue and soft grey. Sakura choose pink and sparkly gold.

_Still a little girl I guess._ Sakura thought to herself.

Tenten picked out a set that were black and white. Lee picked out a set that were green and red.

While they were waiting for the other two Sakura took a couple of warm up shots. She found she wasn't half bad, if she said so herself. Hinata took a couple of shots, and when she wasn't shaking from nerves she was good. Calming down as she worked, Hinata had a look of concentration on her face. Working her darts closer and closer to the centre she finally succeeded at scoring a bulleye. Smiling proudly she jumped when a round of applause burst out from behind her.

"Not bad." Naruto said clapping her on the back as she scurried back into the group.

Hinata blushed hard and tapped her fingers together. The boys chose their colours. Naruto orange and yellow like his t-shirt, which clashed horribly with his still hidden hair, Sasuke chose blue and red. Sakura thrust her darts out towards Sasuke pretending shyness.

"You could use mine Sasuke." She said, batting her eyelashes.

"Uh, no thanks, these are fine." He mumbled turning away.

He moved towards the target and Tenten started explaining the rules. Hinata and Sakura were the only ones left at the table.

"He must really like you." Hinata whispered.

"Who? Lee?" Sakura whispered back, watching Lee make his attempt.

"No. S-sasuke."

"Gah!" Sakura said loudly staring at Hinata.

Turning to look at the challenge she saw that Lee had missed his first shot due to her outburst. The dart quivered in the wall beside the target.

"Sorry Lee!"

He gave a thumbs up and resighted the board.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked trying to put a hopeful look on her face.

"He's never so nice to the other girls."

"Nice? You call that nice? He snaps at me all the time. He has a terrible temper." Sakura whispered.

"He doesn't even speak to the others in class. Only to you and Naruto. He has reputation for being a loner."

"That doesn't mean anything." Sakura whispered with more surety than she felt.

But on watching Sasuke, watching Naruto take his turn, she noticed the number of times Sasuke would glance in her direction.

_No way!_

Sakura could feel a headache coming on. Naruto missed spectacularly, in fact he threw his darts so hard they simply rebounded off the board and fell to the floor. Scowling he sat down next to Hinata, who immediately shut up and found her hands very interesting.

Watching Sasuke, Sakura noted how similary Sasuke moved to Itachi. The same grace, but Itachi moved softly as if afraid to break the world, or as if he didn't want to be noticed. Sasuke moved like he was stalking something. Imaging Sasuke slightly older, with slightly longer hair, slightly more Itachi-like, Sakura felt her heart squeeze.

It's been a week and he hasn't even called me.

Sasuke scored near the centre, smirking, he sat down next to Sakura. Sakura moved uneasily slightly away from him. If he noticed it he made no sign.

Tenten didn't even bother to sight properly she let all three fly, and all three fought for the centre position. Two entered the bulls eye, and the third stuck a little to the left.

Naruto's mouth dropped open.

"How, but that's..." He started.

Before he could continue they heard the outer door open and a voice called out.

"Is anyone here?"

Running back through Tenten returned quickly, a strange look on her face.

"Sasuke, it's your brother."

They all exited the room and stood looking at Itachi.

Sakura couldn't help the smile that climbed onto her face when she saw him there.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked petulant again.

"Father sent me to send you home. You're going to be late for your lesson with Kakashi."

Itachi hadn't even looked at the others. Sakura felt a little desperate.

_Don't say this is all I'll be able to see of him._ She pleaded silently.

"Sakura, do you want to come?" Sasuke asked not looking at her.

"Uh, I-" Sakura started, unsure.

"Father doesn't want her there for these Saturday lessons." Itachi said shortly.

"Then we can drive her home in the limo with us." Sasuke said stubbornly.

"No, you are going straight back to the house with Naruto. I'll take the girl home if she needs it." Itachi said a hint of temper in his voice.

"But-" Sasuke started.

"Those are father's orders Sasuke."

Falling silent Sasuke glared at the ground.

"Sakura?" Sasuke asked.

"Uh, I think I'd better do what your father wants and go home with Itachi." She said desperately trying to keep the joy out of her voice.

Sasuke clenched his fists.

"C'mon idiot." He growled, stomping out of the bar.

Sakura gathered her things a happy feeling climbing inside her stomach. Without even saying goodbye she was swept out of the bar by Itachi.

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Well life couldn't stay easy for long could it? How will Sakura deal with this new developement? For the next few chapters no new characters, we'll let the characters we have develope a little. I'm interested in your opinions of my Tenten. I always kinda pictured her like this, y'know, when she wasn't training Neji until all hours of the night.


	11. Looking for trouble

Sorry for the slightly late update, but I have a vacation coming upOne where I will have no access to a computer, so no updates for like a week! But after that, more goodness coming I can assure you. I may even, gasp, write things down on paper so I can be like ahead in the story line! It could happen, I hear people still do that. I have figured out the prize for the two who'd guess the incoming characters, I just need to figure out if I can get it to you guys. :Shrugs:

Disclaimer: Geez this hurts everytime. Naruto and all characters therein are not mine and I cannot claim money from them. But I can dream!

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Genius' looking for trouble **

**Haruno House**

Sakura rolled over in bed her head still pressed into her pillow, trying desperately to ignore the sun against her window. A smile spread across her face and she gave up trying to pretend to sleep. Rolling over onto her back, she stared unseeing at the ceiling of her room a laugh bubbling up inside her.

She covered her face with her pillow and squealed, kicking her feet as the happiest feeling she'd ever felt built up in her. Her impromptu date with Itachi yesterday had been beyond romantic. She could still remember every detail as if it was just happening to her. Slipping her hand under her favourite stuffed toy she touched the cold plastic of Itachi's first present to her. Drawing it out, she cradled it in her hands as she relived the exact moment he'd given it to her.

**Konoha Centre City, Yesterday**

Sakura sat in Itachi's car for the second time in her life. She kept her eyes on Itachi as if afraid he would dissapear. Only a great force of will kept her hands in her lap and not on Itachi himself. He watched the road with great concentration as if it was important not to look at her. Sakura fidgeted with the need to have some sort of contact with him.

"Itachi-" She began.

He made a shushing motion with his hand, glancing in all the mirrors as if looking for something he hadn't found yet.

"Sakura, open the glove box." Itachi said not looking at her.

Sakura did so.

"Do you see the box there?" Itachi waited until Sakura nodded. "Take it out, it's a present for you."

Smiling in an idiotic fashion, Sakura slid the small box out. It was wrapped neatly in pale pink paper patterned with symbolic cherry blossoms. Sakura felt the smile grow.

"Do you like the paper?" Itachi asked an embarassed note in his voice.

Sakura nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Itachi cleared his throat.

"Then it was worth the embarassment of buying it." He said.

Sakura looked at him surprised, still hugging the unopened present.

"Why was it embarrassing?"

"I've had very little free time this week, between working for my father and trying to keep up with my work with Kisame." Itachi paused as if he'd said too much.

"I had to buy that paper in front of Kisame." Itachi finished simply, clearing his throat. "You've met him, you can imagine the rest."

Sakura nodded, she didn't like the thought of Kisame having anything to do Itachi, but it wasn't her decision. Itachi drove silently for a few minutes still continuing a straight path towards her home she noted sadly. Eventually his eyes slid across to her.

"You can open it, you know." He said. "I'd like to know what you think."

Sakura blushed, and carefully lifted one corner of the paper. Working carefully she pulled the box out. It was simple and square, slim, a little bigger than her hand and it rattled when she shook it carefully.

Itachi gave a short breath of laughter. Sakura looked up surprised a smile tugging on her lips.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"Your face." He said simply, his face refinding its usual calmness.

He refused to say more before she'd opened the box. She deliberately lengthened the process by folding the pretty paper first and tucking it carefully into her bag. Slowly she lifted the top of the box to gaze at the tissue paper inside. Pushing it aside, she reached in and pulled out the smallest cell phone she'd ever seen.

It sat shiny and light in her hand, if she folded her fingers it would dissapear engulfed in the palm of her hand. Opening her hand again she looked at it. It was black with a hidden dark red circular design, but the design was such that she had to tip the phone from side to side to catch glimpses of it hidden deep in the black. When she held it flat she could almost see that something was hidden in the dark depths of the colour, but it was impossible as yet to decide what the design was.

"I tried to get one in your colours, but it wasn't possible, so I thought mine might be okay." Itachi said softly, eyes on the road.

Sakura felt tears prick her eyes. How she wished he wasn't driving so she could throw herself on him in a frenzy of kissing.

"Is it that bad?" Itachi asked.

Sakura shook her head clutching the phone to her chest. Itachi gave a brief smile of relief.

"I'm glad. Red is too strong for you, you suit pink." He said out of the blue.

Sakura giggled.

"Red and blue are your colours." Sakura said.

"Red and black." Itachi said. "Blue is too weak for me. With that phone even when I have no time to see you, I can still call you." Itachi said.

"May I call you?" Sakura asked excited at the idea.

Itachi shook his head.

"There's no way you can tell where I'm going to be, or who I'll be with." He glanced over at her. "We have to keep this a secret a while longer."

Sakura nodded dissapointed, another secret to keep. He reached out and brushed her cheek with his fingers. Sakura closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. For a long moment nothing was said and Sakura reveled in the differences of softness and roughness on his palm.

"Screw it." Itachi said suddenly, jerking the driving wheel to the right.

Sakura noted that instead of taking the turn for the suburbs where she lived, they were now on the highway out of town. A thrill of excitment ran through her. Itachi had both hands on the steering wheel, his brow furrowed in concentration, his eyes glaring at the road as if daring it to try and stop him in his chosen direction. They quickly left the traffic behind and found themselves alone.

Sakura sat quietly, aware that Itachi was fighting a battle within himself and the outcome concerned herself. Concerned their future together. She clutched the cellphone as if it was a lucky talismen which would tip that battle in her favour. It had to prove that he really cared, that he wasn't regretting his actions, that she did more than complicate his already complicated life.

All the fears and doubts that had worried her all the long week without him came running back to her. She was only a little girl, how could she possible give him what he needed in a partner. No matter how much she loved him, how could she, little perfect life Sakura understand or help him with his life which seemed to give him so much pain. She didn't understand his transitory dark moods, there were times when she saw such coldness in his eyes that she grew afraid for him. There was so much she didn't know, couldn't understand about this dark, complicated man beside her.

And yet, she would, if she could. If he just gave her a chance to understand him, she would try, all of him. She felt desperate sometimes to be able to prove herself, that it didn't matter how dark he was, how hurt. There was nothing she wouldn't try to heal. She felt it like a tidal pull inside her towards him, if she was just given the chance she'd devote herself to making him happy. That's why she'd keep his secrets, that's why she'd follow all his wishes, that's why she wasn't going to let him decide this all alone.

"Are you afraid?" Itachi suddenly asked.

"Only of you leaving me." Sakura said truthfully.

"It never frightens you?" Itachi said pushing the car to go faster.

The car climbed over the legal limit, the powerful engine purred as if finally being allowed to be itself.

"This thing that we have?" He asked, the frown on his face deepening.

"Does it frighten you?" Sakura asked closing her eyes, leaning her head back and feeling the wind pull on her hair.

Itachi was silent, Sakura felt his eyes slide onto her. She stayed very still letting him answer.

"More than anything else in my life." He finally answered.

The car swerved, Sakura kept her eyes closed, aware it was easier for him to speak when she was like this.

"Sakura-" He started, falling silent.

An edge of desperation was in his voice, a hint of rage.

"You should stay away from me."

"No."

The car swerved again, Sakura slid against the door jarring her elbow. She clutched the cellphone tighter, suddenly she was calm, calmer than she thought she should be. He wasn't going to leave her, unless she let him, and she wasn't going to let him go. She could feel the frustration rolling off him, the desire to strangle her until she did what he wanted. She almost grinned, almost laughed, but for the pain in her heart for the pain in his voice.

"Sakura, there are so many things you don't understand."

"I don't care."

"You should."

"No."

"Things I've done! Things about my family!" His voice was cracking, just like him. "Things you could never understand."

_What did he do this last week to push this up?_ Sakura wondered.

"Sakura, what if I begged you? What if I begged you to stay away?" Itachi pleaded.

Sakura refused to be moved. The car slowed down, the engine complaining at the sudden loss of speed. Itachi pulled off the road, Sakura slowly opened her eyes the first tendril of fear growing in her.

Itachi turned in his seat, leaning forward, his face twisted by conflicting emotions.

"Please, Sakura, I've never asked anyone for anything in my entire life, I'm begging you." He took her hands and buried his face into them, as if he couldn't bear to look into her calm green eyes.

"Go away. Far, far away."

"No."

Tears fell hot onto her palms, Sakura didn't move, she felt as if she were the strong one, and he the weak one seeking shelter. She rained gentle kisses onto his bowed head. How she wished she had her hands so that she could stroke that tense back, ease his tension. Perphaps that was why he held them trapped before her.

"Red is too strong for you." He whispered.

"Red is the colour of love, the colour of my love for you." She whispered back.

"Red is the colour of blood," He said into her hands, "that's why it's my colour."

"And black?" Sakura asked lifting his face up to look at her.

"Death, and madness." He said eyes empty. "That's why it's my colour aswell."

"No." She leaned forward to press her mouth against his, she couldn't help herself.

"Black is the colour of the night, the secret night where we meet, the protecting night that guards our love from prying eyes. The loving night where I long to see you." She whispered not the least bit embarrassed at her words.

Itachi closed his eyes as if he were drowning and had only just given up all hope.

"I take the red and the black as my colours." She said, punctuating her words with kisses on his unresisting lips.

"I leave the pink of childhood behind, I take the red and black." She whispered fiercely.

"I pray," Itachi whispered back against her lips. "for only the second and probably last time in my life, I pray that you never regret those words."

He pulled back and Sakura almost cried with wanting to kiss him again.

He started the car and pulled back onto the road. His cheeks were marked with tears, but otherwise there were no signs of the emotion that had traveled for a moment across his features. They remained silent, each on their own side working to put back into order what the outburst had broken apart. Yet, as always, not everything fit as exactly as before.

Eventually he turned off the road, and Sakura recognised the trail. The little lake where they had started. He stopped the car and got out, walking off into the bushes without waiting for her. She opened the door slowly and followed him at a distance. He stood in the full sun, hands thrust into his pockets shoulders hunched. She waited watching him in the cool shade of the trees.

"The memories I have here of time spent with my father. They are very bitter to me now." He said without turning.

"Things are often bitter when you finally see the truth behind them. One day you will look at me with the same eyes I look at my father with. One day the bitterness will well up in you and you'll hate me."

Sakura wanted to deny it, she wanted to protest her love for him. But she knew Itachi the genius too well, he would never accept a theory that was unproven and based on anything as uncountable as love.

"No one can tell the future." She said approaching him slowly. "I know there are things about you that hurt, things that are painful. I know that being with you will sometimes be hard, but right now? I don't care."

Itachi turned his face a mask. Sakura slid her hands around his waist, stroking his back and pressing her face into his unmoving chest. Slowly she moved against him, he stayed as still as a statue, as if he could still pretend to be as unfeeling as he pretended to be before. As if she would still believe that he was nothing but coldness and perfection. A perfect machine.

Sakura tried to remember what to do to make him move under her touch. There had been so few chances to touch him, she was so young, so very inexperienced, she cursed herself. Itachi needed to be touched right now, before he found his way back down into the darkness. Needed to be brought back to the present, and he always responded to her touch. When she was touching him he rose closer and closer to the surface. The Itachi that was buried somewhere deep inside rose up and touched her as she touched him. He couldn't stay cold with her, he didn't know how anymore.

_Hormones._ Sakura thought, _Are sometimes very useful._

She pulled at his shirt and ran her hands over the warm skin of his back. He shivered ever so slightly. Sakura looked up at him, triumph in her eyes. Let this be a competition then, he never could resist a competition. His eyes grew warm as she stared up at him daring him to stay cold. She moved her hands to the front of his body stoking over his chest, the softer skin of his stomach. He opened his mouth ever so slightly to breath deeper and Sakura let a smirk tug at her lips. He narrowed his eyes at her impertinance. Sakura sucked in a shaky breath at what that look did to her. She felt the danger of that look, maybe that was why she was so drawn to Itachi. Maybe she liked the edge of danger he represented.

Sakura felt heat flush her face and she let Itachi see what he did to her. She withdrew her hands, and Itachi stood an edge of incertainty in his eyes. She put her hands on his jacket and pushed it back off his shoulders. Itachi only moved his hands out of his pockets to let the jacket fall to the ground. He raised an eyebrow slightly,as if challenging her to go further. She did.

The shirt fell afterwards and Itachi stood, eyebrow still raised a small smile on his lips gazing down at her. Sakura swallowed hard, she'd thought he'd crack before now, but it looked like he was ready to play right to the end. With shaking hands she reached for his belt, but the moment she touched it Itachi had caught her hands in his.

"Don't." he warned.

"Why not?" Sakura asked, her voice as shaky as she felt. "I want to."

"And so do I." He said in that hot voice she only heard in times like this. "But I'm not going to touch you if you do that."

"I can make you." Sakura said simply.

Itachi made a sound between a sigh and a groan. He wrapped his arms around her, ever so slightly rubbing himself against her. Sakura started to enjoy it, if at first it was a little out of her experience.

"There are girls my age at school who sleep with their boyfriends." Sakura said moving with him trying to find what felt good for her.

"I know, some have made offers to me. They shouldn't, they are too young."

"Am I too young?" Sakura asked teasing him with her lips against his skin.

"Sometimes yes, sometimes I think you are much stronger than I can guess at." He drew a shuddering breath.

"Sakura." He pleaded.

Dissapointed in his continuing refusal Sakura moved back a pout on her lips.

"If you keep up like this, we're going to need to tie me down before we do anything." He warned with a chuckle.

"I could do that." Sakura said a gleam in her eye.

"Maybe it would be safer if I tied you down." He said rethinking. "You're the one misbehaving."

Sakura pouted harder, fingering the buttons on her shirt, Itachi's eyes dropped to her fingers and he smiled as if exasperated.

"Sakura." He growled in a warning.

She took a step towards him looking up at him through her eyelashes. He took a step back growling.

"I'm warning you young lady."

Sakura played with the top button, her eyes on Itachi's reddening face. He panted and his hands twitched at his sides. She took another step forward undoing the button, it didn't show much, but Itachi took a quick step backwards anyway. The gold chain he'd given her gleamed in the sunlight.

"You are impossible. And I'm not stupid enough to simply walk backwards into the lake." He said.

Sakura smirked.

"Then, if you don't come over here and convince me otherwise, I'm going to take it off." Sakura warned.

Itachi started to smile as if the idea pleased him greatly, shaking his head he stepped quickly forward his hands reaching for her. Sakura darted back, hands furiously undoing buttons. Itachi gave a yelp and dived at her his hands interferring with hers trying to redo buttons as fast as she undid them. Suddenly they were both laughing at the ridiculous nature of the situation.

Losing her balance Sakura collasped onto the dock, Itachi providing a convenient cushion. She lay ontop of him smiling into his face. He lay, one hand flung over his eyes a smile playing on his lips.

"Why am I the responsible one?" He asked plantively. "Aren't you supposed to be all shy and 'no, no, no I couldn't possibly let you do that before we're married!'?" He complained.

"Welcome to the 21st century baby." Sakura said smirking. "In this day and age when women see a piece of ass as hot as your's they jump on it."

Itachi laughed again running his hands through her hair.

"I wish we never needed to go back." He said staring at the sky.

Sakura linked her hands under her chin and regarded his face.

"But just think, if we stayed here, eventually your self control would crack and you'd end up ravaging me on this dock." Sakura said impishly.

Itachi blushed.

"How well you know me." He said. "But I wouldn't ravage you. I'd make it last, and I'd make you cry with need before that."

The heat in his voice, the way his eyes looked at her made her press herself against him.

"I need now." She said simply.

He looked at her considering.

"We're moving too fast. You're falling too fast." He said, trying not to move under her,trying to keep his hands playing lightly with her hair.

"Then catch me." Sakura moved, and Itachi reacted unable to control himself.

Suddenly, panting, he gripped her arms painfully. His eyes searching hers he seemed to decide something.

Leaning forward he whispered.

"There are things we can do. Things that might satisfy your curiousity."

Sakura paused listening.

"But you must let me choose. You've got no control, so I must have it for the two of us." He leaned back down playing lightly with her hair. "If we go too fast I'm afraid this'll finish too soon, too badly. I don't want you to get hurt."

Sakura leaned in to kiss him. But he put his finger on her lips.

"If I give you another present, will you stop tormenting me like this?" He looked at her a mock glare on his face. "Will you behave yourself?"

Sakura nodded kissing his finger. Itachi glared at her for real, sighing, Sakura pouted and sat back, straddling him.

"I'm not sure this is better." Itachi mumbled sitting up so their noses were almost touching.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flat box.

"This is the present I really wanted to give you." He said, holding it between them.

Sakura flipped open the box, her eyes widening at the small sparkling pendant.

"It's what was meant to go on your chain. Not the stupid childish keys." He said taking it out.

She slipped the chain free and Itachi threaded the pendant onto it. He reattached it around her neck. The keys sat in his hand. Sakura sat touching the pendant with wondering hands.

"D-does it look good?" She asked.

Itachi answered her with a gentle kiss.

Haruno House, present 

Lying in bed Sakura heard her parents heading out to work.

_Doing overtime trying to kiss up to the boss_. Sakura thought.

Immediately she pinched herself for her horrible thought.

_They're earning the money that keeps a roof over your head, food in your stomach and clothes on your back, you ungrateful brat._ Sakura thought scoldingly to herself.

Her hand reached up to touch the pendant warm against her skin. Sighing happily, Sakura flipped back the covers and got out of bed. She had work to do yet, and a long way to go before she could accomplish all that she dreamed of.

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Just when Sakura thinks she's found a safe shore, a new storm blows in! It's not easy being coverted by the Uchiha men! Damn wish I had that problem.


	12. On a slippery slope

whoosh, here it is, the first new chapter after my holiday, boy it's hard starting work again. Anyhoo, I promised a couple of reviewers a prize for correctly half guessing coming characters and I have the prizey thing, check your guys email over the next couple of days for something coming from my email account. It's a file don't freak, it shouldn't bugged or anything, my comp has all its shots. Otherwise try and guess what Sasuke's deal is, obviously he's not the big avenger dude, because his family's not dead so no avenging to be done. But why is he being such a little bastard?

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**Genius' at everything but love.**

**Genius' on a slippery slope**

**Uchiha Mansion**

Sakura looked around another door, sighing when this room turned out to be empty of all life as well.

Tapping her foot Sakura wondered for the umpteenth time what she was doing here. The sound of something closing turned her around and she ran towards the sound. Arriving at the source she frowned when it was only a maid finishing her cleaning duties. Nodding curtly at the bobbing woman, Sakura continued on her way opening each door, searching , searching for the missing Sasuke.

**Konoha School, earlier today.**

"SAKURA-SWEETIE!" Naruto yelled, making both Sakura and Hinata jump.

Sliding into a place next to Sakura, Naruto looked desperate.

"What's wrong Naruto?" Sakura asked irritated, she and Hinata had been having a good talk about needed qualities in a future boyfriend until he'd arrived.

"Sasuke's run away!" Naruto said on the edge of panic.

Hinata's eyes grew round, Sakura frowned not understanding.

"What d'ya mean 'runaway'?" She asked.

"RUN-AWAY." Naruto said, spelling it out. "As in not here, not there, not anywhere he should be, not in school, not at home, not in the bathroom,..." Naruto looked ready to continue his list of places Sasuke was not when Sakura held up her hand.

"Are you sure he's not just off pouting somewhere?" Sakura asked still irritated over being interrupted.

Talking _about _boyfriends was half the fun of having a boyfriend, and when said boyfriend just didn't bother to come to school anymore, talking was all she had. Even if she had to replace the name of Itachi with the name of Sasuke in front of Hinata.

"I don't think so." Naruto said, frowning.

Sakura kicked herself mentally.

_What would Hinata do if it was Naruto who'd gone missing?_ Sakura asked herself.

"But I could help you find him!" She said brightly. "I'm sure he's just trying to... well..."

_I don't know what the hell he might be doing._ Sakura groaned internally.

How could an imaginary boyfriend cause this much trouble?

"Where have you looked?" She asked, as Naruto helped himself to Hinata's offered lunch tray.

"Efferiewher." Naruto said around a mouthful of food.

"You looked all over that big mansion of theirs?" She specified, holding his fork away from his mouth.

"Well, I checked his room, and the bathroom, and the training hall, and the main hall, and then I checked here at school, and I checked everywhere here." Naruto said seriously.

"Who else is looking?" Sakura asked, still holding down his fork.

"Noone." Naruto said as if this was obvious.

"Wh-what?" Hinata broke in, seeing them turn towards her she blushed as if she hadn't realised she'd spoken out loud.

"Well, I'm his bodyguard, so if I lose him, it'll look really bad, so I just gotta find him before Mr Uchiha finds out. And besides, if Mr Uchiha finds out Sasuke's run away, can you imagine what he'd do to Sasuke?" Naruto said finally giving up on ever getting the fork to his mouth.

"Haven't you ever done anything really stupid? I mean really stupid, and then afterwards you realised just how stupid it was and you wished you could take it back?" Naruto said looking at the table top.

"Sasuke's an arrogant prick," Naruto started, Sakura forgot to contradict him.

"but he doesn't deserve the hell his father will give him if he finds out he's done this."

Sakura nodded, Hinata nodded as well.

**Uchiha Mansion present.**

The great plan was that Sakura would arrive at the house like normal to give Sasuke his lessons. She would use the time to search the mansion throughly, giving the excuse that she was lost and looking for a bathroom if asked. Naruto would try a couple of places Sasuke sometimes went to. Sakura had agreed to this only because she'd brillantly suggested that he take Hinata with him. She was such the matchmaker, and besides, someone deserved to spend a little time with their crush. Hinata had even found a way around her shyness to accept.

Sighing Sakura found she'd searched pretty much everywhere in the mansion, and it'd taken her hours. Luckily for her the ol', 'Mr Uchiha has invited me to dinner, I'll be home late,' excuse was still working. Not even a glimpse of Itachi either. Returning mostly by chance to Sasuke's bedroom where she was susposed to be anyway, Sakura slumped into a chair. She hoped Naruto and Hinata were having more luck. It was just like Sasuke to go running off scaring everyone like this, without even leaving a note.

Putting her genius brain into action, Sakura rested her forehead on the desk and tried to think of a plan. Afterall she was a genius, genius' had to be good for something, and she wasn't letting Naruto do all the planning.

"Sasuke where are you." Sakura sighed.

"I'm right here."

"GAAAH!" Sakura screeched falling off her chair.

She hit her backside quite hard against the ground and it caused her eyes to water a little with the pain. She looked up teary eyed into the surprised eyes of Sasuke. A momentary look of concern crossed Sasuke's face, before he smirked at her undignified position, dropping a heavy bag onto the bed. Sakura dashed the tears from her eyes, a righteously angry feeling rising in her.

"Where the hell were you?" Sakura asked angrily trying to surreptiously rub her butt, without appearing to. She hurt a little to much to try standing right away.

"We looked everywhere for you!"

"We?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, _we_, what did you think? That you could just dissapear for a day and noone would notice?"

Sasuke didn't reply, didn't look at her. He turned towards the bed and started to pick at the design.

"Naruto, Hinata and I looked everywhere for you." Sakura continued, starting to be weirded out by his non responsiveness.

He should be boiling over with something, joy, anger, something, and he acted like...like, well like Itachi at his most mysterious.

"You looked for me?" He asked, disbelief in his voice.

"Of course." Sakura said a little miffed that he thought he wouldn't.

What did he think she was? some heartless harpy, only out to use him as if he were only a means to an end? Sakura felt a sick feeling hit her stomach, she was some heartless harpy only out to use him. But it was alright because he didn't feel anything back, he was just as heartless, and a complete icy bastard to boot.

"What? You weren't busy doing something else? Like, gee I dont know, making cow eyes at my brother?" He asked the sarcasm in his voice almost covering the shakiness of the lasr phrase.

"Cow eyes?" Sakura asked, half offended, half scared he'd discovered her secret.

Damn it, had she been too obvious on Saturday? Sakura clutched her hands together ringing them until she felt her wrists protest, she hung her head, her brain running as fast as it could trying to plan ahead, map an escape route.

"One moment you're all like, '_oooo Sasuke you're sooo cool_,' the next Itachi arrives and I'm dirt." He spat, still looking only at the bed.

"I-I I don't know what you're talking about. Are you talking about last Saturday?" Sakura asked desperately, peeking up through her bangs.

Sasuke shot her a quick look over his shoulder. Sakura stepped back from the cold hate in his eyes, and the pain.

"Stupid bitch."

Sakura bit her lip, if only she didn't feel so guilty she could sock him one and just get out. But she'd been raised a good girl, and good girls didn't just go around punching snotty, spoiled, nasty little pricks like Sasuke. Especially not when they where crying and trying not to show it.

"Sasuke." Sakura said slowly approaching him.

"Get away. You're just like them." He growled his voice becoming increasingly choked. "All you want is Itachi. Perfect, genius Itachi."

"No, no I don't." Sakura lied, feeling her own throat choking up with the falseness of her words.

In a confused way she didn't want them to be false, she wanted Sasuke to stop crying. She wanted to be the girl she pretended to be, the girl who would do anything to make him smile. The girl who lived for his smile alone, but it was like he said, all she wanted was perfect, genius Itachi. And Sasuke was just a means to an end. For the first time Sakura felt dirty about her relationship with Itachi. Like it was bad, like she was bad.

_Odd really, _Sakura thought madly trying to think of what to do to stop Sasuke crying.

You'd think I'd be stressing over my uncontrollable hormones and my less than innocent behaviour with Itachi. Afterall I should be absolutely shocked that I have to actively hold myself back from trying to jump his bones, or something. Or at least feeling bad that I'm already lying daily to my best friend, and my parents. But nooo. I feel guilty because Sasuke's crying, and I don't even know why he's crying.

Well, _find _out, Sakura snapped to herself.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" Sakura asked touching his arm.

He jerked away from her. Sakura grabbed his arm and held on as he tried to shake her off. Growling he turned towards her, his head down, bangs hiding his face. He scratched and scrabbled at her fingers, when she wouldn't let go he tried to push her back, pulling at her arm. Sakura hung on grimly.

"Sasuke, I just want to...ow...help." Sakura said slapping at his hands and arms.

Sasuke was making little desperate sounds as he tried to twist her fingers off his arm.

"Sasuke...ow...Sasuke... stop! OW!" Sakura said almost screaming as she wrenched her hand back bleeding.

She cradled her hand against her chest looking at Sasuke surprised, and hurt. Sasuke looked just as surprised as her. Then slowly his face closed down, like a flower folding its petals away for the night. Soon all that would be left would a masking smirk, back in place like always. Sakura's hand flew out before she could think.

The crack echoed slightly, Sasuke head whipped to the side with the force.

"Ow." Sasuke said slowly.

"Yeah, well, now we're even." Sakura said suddenly feeling like that had been a really bad idea.

Sakura cringed as Sasuke slowly turned his face towards her, fingering the growing red mark on his cheek. Slowly he sat down on the bed one hand over his cheek.

"Wow. I don't remember the last time someone did that to me." Sasuke said calmly. "Oh that's right. Never."

That last word fell like a stone between them. Sakura bit her lip, suddenly feeling very nervous.

"Get out." He said.

"No." Sakura said taking a wider more balanced stance, in case he tried to hit her, or something.

"I said get out. Bitch." Sasuke said, still not meeting her eyes.

"No, not until you tell me what's wrong, and where you were today." Sakura said ignoring his words.

He wanted to play cold, icy, and touch me not? Hell, she was dating the king of hidden emotions, she could deal with the junior contender. Sasuke made a sudden move and Sakura jerked back out of immediate reach. Sasuke smirked.

"What? You think I'm going to attack you?" Sasuke sneered.

He leaned back on his elbows on the bed, arrogance the only thing written on his face. Sakura bared her teeth at him in frustration. Sasuke gave a sarcastic laugh and pretended to hide in terror. He leaned back again, one hand idly stroking the cover beside him.

"Come on then, I'd like a good tussle on the bed." He looked up at her suggestively.

"You think you're impressing me?" Sakura said a sneer in her voice. "You think I'm going to scream and faint away? You're bluffing."

"Am I?" Sasuke asked leaning back fully. "Why would I bluff? Honestly, the chance to get hot and sweaty with you? Why not."

"Stop being a child." Sakura said digusted.

"Why not? It's what you want isn't it?" Sasuke asked. "Me. At least that's what you're always saying."

"And, and I do." Sakura said lamely. "But...just...not like that."

"Oh, then how do you want me then?" Sasuke asked in that same calm, infuriating sarcastic voice.

"On top, underneath, or maybe you'd prefer ropes?" He said standing up smoothly and moving towards her.

"What's your fantasy?" He asked as she backed away. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

This last he whispered almost in her ear. Sakura couldn't stop a shiver. He smirked at her reaction and moved closer.

"What I want to know is where you were today." Sakura said stubbornly, turning her head away from his dangerously close face.

Sasuke tried to follow her face with his, Sakura twisted away but he followed.

"Stop it Sasuke. You're just trying to avoid the question." Sakura said pushing him away.

He took a step towards her but Sakura put her hands on his chest.

"You're just trying to keep me away." She said through gritted teeth.

"Oh I promise you, I'm trying to get as close as possible." Sasuke said, forcing her arms to bend with the weight of his body.

"Then quit fooling around!" Sakura said stepping to the side using his body weight to throw him to the ground.

Sasuke lay a little stunned on the carpet. Sakura stood panting above him.

"You can't scare me away, you can't ice me out, and I don't buy your 'I don't need anyone' front." She felt more in control now, amazing how well a little judo could help a conversation along.

"And I don't buy your, _'oh Sasuke, I **love** you'_ front." He said lifting himself up slowly.

He sat holding his ribs carefully. Sakura knelt beside him trying to look him in the eye.

"Then will you at least buy, the _'Sasuke I care for you'_ front?" She asked trying to touch his ribs.

He jumped a little and hissed at her like an angry cat.

"No." He said.

Sakura tried to hide a snort, he sounded like he was pouting. Pouting because she'd kicked his butt, again.

"Sasuke," She groaned, she didn't know what to do with him, he was impossible. "You're impossible."

"So, go away."

Now he really sounded like he was pouting. Sakura poked her face closer to his, trying to get a good look. He turned his head away irritated, she followed, this time she was in control. He turned his head from side to side trying to out maneuver her. She followed his every turn grinning.

"Sasuke, you can't get away from me. I'm worse than an ink stain on your favourite top." Sakura almost chanted at him.

"I'm not telling you where I was today. It's private." He said grudgingly.

"Fine, but you can't just go running off like that. We worry." Sakura said moving to kneel in front of him.

"Who's we?" Sasuke asked.

"Well, Naruto for one." Sakura said.

"He was frantic, he'll probably kick your butt when he finds out you're back." She said thoughtfully.

"And, and Hinata! She was worried. She's out looking with Naruto, oh I should call them and tell them you're back." Sakura said smiling brightly as he peeked up at her.

_In a cynical way, of course, Sasuke peeked up in a cynical definately non-cute way,_ Sakura assured herself.

"And my father?" He asked hopefully.

"Uh, we didn't tell your father." Sakura said wincing. "Sorry, we were thinking you might not want a heavy parental backlash for a prank."

"Doesn't matter, he wouldn't have cared anyway." Sasuke said standing up.

Sakura stood up with him.

"So are you okay now? Are we, are we okay now?" Sakura asked delicately.

"Is there a we?" Sasuke asked looking at her with one raised eyebrow.

Sakura hesitated on the point of another lie.

"Not yet, but I hope so, one day. You know, when you stop with the _'I am Mr High and Mighty,'_ and the not being interested in me parts." Sakura said blushing, there that wasn't completely a lie.

"Yeah, I guess, that might happen." Sasuke said finding the carpet interesting. "I never said I wasn't interested."

Sakura blushed harder.

"I need to go, I need to ring Naruto and Hinata, and I need to get home, Mum'll start to think I live here." She gave a weak laugh and took a step towards the door.

Sasuke reached out and took her injured hand gently.

"Sakura, thank you." He said. "Make sure one of the maids looks at that before you leave."

Sakura nodded dumbly. Just as gently Sasuke raised her hand to his lips and he brushed them across the little wound. Sakura felt her traitorous knees tremble, her cheeks turned bright red and she made a little chokey sound. Sasuke rolled his eyes up from where his lips still rested on her hand.

"Of course I never said I was interested either." He finished his usual smirk on his face.

Sakura gave a strangled, offended squeak as Sasuke lifted his head to stare her in the eye.

_Damn, arrogant bastard, always has to have the last word._ Sakura stormed to herself as she stomped out of the room not all emotions in check.

"Sakura?" Sasuke called from the doorway.

Against her will, fixing a smile on her face to counter her red cheeks and the steely glint of battle in her eye, she turned to look at him.

"You might need these." He said smugly holding out her school bag and books.

Silently and with dignity she took the offered items, nodded her thanks to him and left as quickly as possible.

_Damn, impossible, arrogant, annoying, definately not cute, bastard._ Sakura confirmed to herself.

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Ah hah! Smells like a triangle! Storm warnings anyone?


	13. Losing sight of the exit

Well Sakura's feeling the confusion rising, where will it end? No Itachi for the next few chapters sorry, we're going to concentrate ont he school group for a while, but there's a new character coming in the next chapter any guesses?

Disclaimer: the most depressing part of writing about our beloved characters is admitting I didn't think them up, and I don't even own them.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**Genuis' losing sight of the exit **

**Konoha High**

Sakura tried to focus on the flapping paper in front of her.

"See? What d'ya think Sakura-sweetie? Are you in?"

Losing her paitence she grabbed the paper out of his moving hand and smoothed it down on the lunch table.

"Mixed relay." She said blankly reading the top.

She lifted her confused eyes to Naruto's happily grinning face.

"Yeah! Yeah! Sports Day is coming and everyone needs to do at least one event, so I thought why not the mixed relay, that way we can train together, and then..." Naruto's voice was muffled as Sasuke covered Naruto's mouth with his hand.

"'Lo." Sasuke muttered, sitting down pulling Naruto with him.

Hinata smiled quietly at Sasuke while Sakura watched him curiously. He seemed calm, a little too calm she thought. Maybe his Dad had finally found out that Sasuke'd skipped school a few days ago and ripped into him. Maybe he was just tired, Sasuke lifted dull eyes to stare at Sakura.

"So what does the idiot want now?" He asked without enthousiam.

Sakura frowned, this wasn't like him, usually he was...snarkier than that, a little more lively.

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and gave him a bright smile.

"Hi Sasuke!" She said.

Ever since his rather accurate attack about her lack of real feelings for him Sakura had decided to cool it a little on the fan girl act. Naruto pushed Sasuke's hand away and grumped at him.

"Hiya bastard." Naruto said.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted in return poking at his food.

Naruto frowned at the lack of reponse. Taking a deep breath he scooted away from Sasuke which put himself closer to Hinata. She blushed and promptly stared at her food as if it were the answer to happiness on earth. Sakura held down a giggle at Hinata's too cute behaviour.

"I was telling Sakura about us joining up for the mixed relay." Naruto said carefully.

Sakura looked at Naruto closely, what was he acting so wary for? He hadn't done anything stupid yet. Her eyes flicked back to the paper this time scanning further down. She frowned when she saw that her name was already written on it along with Naruto's and Sasuke's, what made her leap to her feet was the teachers counter signature at the bottom.

"What d'ya mean we're already signed up!" She yelled into Naruto's cringing face.

"Well, I figured you guys'd say yes anyway, so I signed us up. You have to do one event, and like this we can stay together." He said as reasonably as possible.

Naruto 'eeped' as Sasuke's blunt knife appeared under his nose.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't turn you into fillets right now." Sasuke growled a spark growing in his eyes.

"Because you have to do at least one event?" Naruto said a quaver in his voice.

"Why not take Hinata?" Sasuke growled

"She has a medical certificate, no sports for her." Naruto said looking at Sakura pleadingly.

"Sasuke put the knife down." Sakura said firmly.

Sasuke flicked his eyes over to her, then placed the knife down scowling and crossed his arms.

"Besides," Sakura said tossing her hair over her shoulder again, "I don't even know if I'm allowed to compete with you guys, we're not in the same classes."

Sasuke smirked.

"What's so great about you being a genius?" He asked snidely.

"Well I'm not in remedial for one." Sakura said folding her arms staring back at him.

"MIXED relay!" Naruto said with emphasis. "Doesn't matter what classes you're in, or what age you are, just have to be boys and girls and then be willing to run. And the best is that everyone is running the same races, so we get to compete against the higher forms!"

Naruto looked excited at the thought of trying his stuff against the older students.

"Neji will be participating." Hinata almost whispered. "Almost all the athletic team is in the relay race."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and even Sakura felt a hum of competition enter her.

_The snob is gonna be there? Hell yeah! He's going down!_ Sakura thought to herself internally smacking her fist against her palm, externally she sat down calmly smoothing her skirt.

"Awwww, Sasuke you have to say yes, it's our chance to smash down that Hyuuga bastard once and for all! At his own game!" Naruto weedled, adopting what he thought was a sweet expression.

When Sasuke made no response Naruto switched to Sakura.

"Pleeeease say yes. If you say yes Sasuke will be sure to say yes!" Naruto said a pathetically hopeful look in his eyes.

Sakura blushed, and Sasuke spluttered a denial. All the same Sakura and Sasuke found themselves bullied into agreeing by a pleading Naruto.

_It won't be too bad,_ Sakura thought _I'm kinda athletic, and it's only a relay._

How wrong she was.

Uchiha Mansion 

For the umpteenth time Sakura regretted her choice as she puffed her way around the grounds of the Uchiha gardens. She'd been outstripped since the first lap by the two competing boys and now there was no hope of catching up to them. Jogging to a stop she leaned against the nearest tree panting.

"Yo."

"Gaaah!" Somehow Sakura found the breath to yell as Kakashi slipped out from behind the tree.

"I knew running wouldn't be your thing." Kakashi said looking at her red face.

Sakura held back the urge to punch his stupid chauvinistic face in. Losing did not put her into a good mood at all, and having it rubbed in her face sparked her fighting spirit. She was getting just a little tired of Kakashi always assuming she'd be the weakest in everything

Tossing her sweaty hair over her shoulder she glared at him her eyes bold. Kakashi looked bemused for a second then clapped her on the back before strolling away. Grumbling half at him, half at her own stubborn nature Sakura started out again.

Later 

Naruto was busy doing extra laps as punishment for cheating on two laps to beat Sasuke, so Sakura and Sasuke strolled back to the house together. Without even thinking hard Sakura just knew that Itachi wouldn't be there, he hadn't contacted her in almost an entire week, why would he be home now? So Sakura thought longing of the hot shower waiting for her instead, she was sweaty, and smelly and gross feeling, and why did sports have to leave her feeling so unfeminine? She remembered distinctly the other girls telling her exactly how unattractive and unfeminine she was because she liked to study and to do sports. She remembered dropping all her sports like hot rocks because of that. Thank goodness she hadn't been so stupid as to drop her studies as well. If she had she would never have met Itachi, and she would never have forgiven herself for that.

Sakura winced as her leg muscles protested all the exercise they'd been put through. Sasuke glanced over and sighed. Moving in front of her he crouched down. Sakura looked at him confused, wondering if his shoe lace had come untied.

"Well, get on." He said grumpily.

"Huh?" Sakura said intelligently.

"Get on my back." Sasuke said more clearly. "You've gone and injured yourself with the running. I can carry you to the house at least."

He turned his head to look at her coldly.

"But then you walk." He said bruscely.

Internally Sakura kicked his presented backside back to the house, externally she gave stiff smile and shook her head.

"I'm okay, I can make it."

Sasuke sighed.

"For once in your life stop being so pig headed stubborn and just let me help you."

"Not stubborn." Sakura grumbled trying to push past him.

She jumped when she felt his hand wrap around her ankle. Twisting around she glared down at him feeling her cheeks heat. He _so_ did not look _really_ cute kneeling like that looking up at her. _So_ did not.

"If you really liked me, you'd be happy to let me carry you." He said quietly.

Well there wasn't much she could say against that, so she let him carry her on his back as gracefully as she could, and tried not to grumble too loudly about her embarrasment.

"You could be more grateful. All the girls in my class would kill for the chance to be piggy backed by me." Sasuke complained as Sakura tightened her grip around his neck.

"But Sasuke, honey, I am grateful!" Sakura said tightening her grip with each word.

_You arrogant little prick!_ Internal Sakura hissed.

Sasuke leaned forward and jumped her further up his back to loosen her grip on his neck.

"You got a problem today or what? You're being pissier than normal." He grumbled.

Sasuke tried not to grimace as Sakura dug her pointy chin into the top of his head.

"I wanted to _thank you, ow!_" Sasuke slapped her leg as she gave an extra hard dig with her chin.

Sakura scowled and refused to rub the spot.

"Do you have to do that?" He asked complaining.

"Well, you, you." Sakura huffed not finding a response.

"I, what?" Sasuke asked.

"Nothing, sorry, I just don't feel very friendly at the moment." Sakura apologised grudgingly.

Sasuke stayed silent a while, Sakura felt her guilt building. She'd had no reason to try and hurt Sasuke, all he'd done was offer to carry her to give her poor legs a rest. It was just that after Kakashi's dismisal of her during the running, her feminine pride was hurting, and being carried was just a little too much. That and she was missing Itachi again. Sasuke was a convinent target for her frustration when his big brother was AWOL.

"You wanted to say something?" Sakura asked softly.

"Nothing important." Sasuke said.

Sakura wrinkled her nose, shaking her head as the spiky hair on the back of his head tickled her nose.

"Hey what 'cha doing?" Sasuke asked suspciously.

"You hair is tickly." Sakura said holding down a giggle as Sasuke snorted.

"Idiot, my hair is not tickly." He said firmly.

Sakura pressed her face against his hair and brushed it back and forth against the back of his head. It felt different from Itachi's hair, she breathed deeply inhaling the scent of Sasuke, different from Itachi's. She knew she should stop, that she was just replacing Itachi with Sasuke, but she missed Itachi so much it hurt. Being this close to Sasuke reminded her too much of Itachi. Slowly she drew her head back biting her lip to stop the tears from falling. It was so hard keeping everything a secret sometimes.

Sasuke stopped walking, Sakura's breathing hitched and she felt the need to cry press even more strongly on her. Slowly he lowered her to the ground and turned to face her. Sakura sucked in her breath and turned away from him.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Sakura began. "But I'll never be so forward with you again, please forgive me."

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Sasuke asked placing a hand on each shoulder.

Sakura felt tears tremble on her eyelashes and blinked fast to remove them. Turning to face him she smiled brightly.

"I'm so embarrassed!" She said a little too happily. "I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow at her overly bright eyes.

"I don't normally go around doing things like that. But well you just smelled so good I thought I'd..." Sakura clapped a hand over her mouth to stop the babbling noises coming out.

Sasuke looked at her strangely one of his hands slowly rising to the back of his head, he briefly touched the hair there, then lowered his hand. Standing there so still and quiet the resemblance between him and Itachi was overwhelming, especially the eyes. Sasuke had the same hypnotic eyes as Itachi, looking at her with that deep look. She never knew if Itachi was happy or sad when he looked at her like that, as if he wasn't really seeing her rather something deep inside himself, or her. The look always made her shake and want to wrap herself around him until the emptiness left his eyes.

Slowly Sasuke's eyes regained their focus and stared at her with a sad, half empty look. He took a step closer, putting one hand behind her head. Sakura clamped her hand down harder over her mouth wimpering half in fear, half in something else she didn't want to identify. If he noticed he made no sign. He half closed his eyes and his other hand brushed against her exposed cheek.

"It's normal to want to touch the people you love." He whispered.

Surprised Sakura failed to react as he closed the distance between them. His lips brushed against her forehead, and she could only note that they were warm. Tears slipped down her cheeks as he leaned back and smiled at her. She found that she didn't mind at all when Sasuke wrapped his arms around her crying form. After a while Sakura stopped crying and sniffled pathetically. She felt miserable.

"You have your period huh." Sasuke said wisely.

"Huh?" Sakura said jerking back her head from his chest to stare at him shocked.

A germ of embarrassed anger sparked in her eyes. He poked her wide forehead with one finger grinning at her in a good imitation of Naruto.

"That's the Sakura I was looking for." He said grinning even more.

Spluttering Sakura judo threw him to the ground and tried to pin his face into the dirt.

"You...you...MALE!" Sakura screeched.

Sasuke overpowered her frenzied movements and pinned her clenched fists against his chest, trapping them between his body and the ground. Sakura ground her knee into the small of his back trying to force him to let go. He laughed around a faceful of dirt and looked up at her flushed face from his awkard position.

"Ow! Ow,owow." Sasuke complained.

Sakura gritted her teeth and pressed harder into his back.

"I knew you like it rough." He said a spark she was coming to know too well, in his eye.

Momentarily shocked into inaction, Sakura cursed as Sasuke used the instant to roll her over so he pressed her back into the ground, his back pressed against her front pinning her down with his greater weight.

"My my, what language for a lady;" Sasuke said sarcastically over his shoulder to her red face.

"Get off me you bastard!" Sakura warned trying to free her hands so she could strangle him.

How dare he humiliate her like this, did he think she would just lie down and take this? Wait, **wait**, was he _rubbing _against her? He was dead, he was so dead she didn't have words for how dead he was.

With a scream of rage she wrenched her hands free and tried to claw for his face. She heard an 'oops' from Sasuke before he was up and off her crouching opposite from her a wary look in his eyes.

"Hey, I was just returning the favour, you're the one that started the unasked for touching." He said holding his hands out in a calming gesture.

"I touched your hair, you...you..." Sakura spluttered trying to forget the brief moment she'd enjoyed it.

Unable to finish her sentance, she struggled up to standing and glowered at him as she tried to arrange her hair and clothes.

"I what?" Sasuke smirked. "Got a good feel of you?"

He sighed dissapointed.

"Not even close, but if you're keen to let me try again." He leered at her, and Sakura realised he was playing.

Was the inconsiderate bastard trying to cheer her up by trying to sexually molest her? Well maybe molest was too strong a word, but still a girl had some pride. She choked down her anger and tried to present a proud haughty face. He sniggered and Sakura wapped him on the head glowering at him.

"I told you before, you can do what you want to me, as long as I get the same rights." He said that spark coming back into his eyes.

"So if you don't want me to touch you, stop touching me. If you can." He said smirking at her open mouthed expression.

"You snide, arrogant bastard." Sakura gasped.

"Yep, but it doesn't stop you being hot for me." He said turning and walking away.

Sakura reflected this was not the first time she'd finished chasing an Uchiha male because of a comment about her inability to control her hormones.


	14. Trouble in Paradise

Whoosh this one took ages! I kept dithering over the end, but I think it was time that the tension stepped up a little so... Oh and next chapter will be the one with the new character, and in another couple of chapters a whole heap of new characters will be stepping in! Yay!

Standard Disclaimer: Okay so maybe the characters are so far out of character that any resemblance they have to the original characters from NARUTO, the world's greatest ninja, is fleeting, but still it's the thought that counts, so I'm thinking the disclaimer, shhh maybe you can hear me thinking.

P.S. If you want in character, try my other stories! That'd be cool.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**Genius' at everything but love**

**Konoha High **

Sakura closed her locker and leaned her head against the cool metal. Her hand played with the two keys in her jacket pocket, things from a simpler time. Then her hand rose to touch the pendant hidden under the collar of her uniform shirt. Sighing one last time, she firmly refused to check if Itachi had sent her a message and walked out of the sixth form private room only to almost knock down Hinata who was hovering outside the door.

"Ah! Sakura...I was just, I mean.." Hinata babbled, a little red.

Sakura grinned and made her 'cute' face, a thing which never failed to calm Hinata's nerves whenever Hinata thought Sakura was angry at her. Hinata smiled and looked away a little embarrassed at her oversensitive behaviour.

"I mean, I was just going to knock, I need to ask you something." She said softly.

"Sure." Sakura said encouragingly. "Is it about Naruto?"

Sakura crossed her fingers, she hoped it was about Naruto it would fun spending an afternoon gossiping about boys.

"N-no!" Hinata denied quickly shaking her head for added emphasis.

"Oh well." Sakura sighed dissapointed.

"It's...well, my father would like me to ask you if.. if you wouldn't mind.. uh."Hinata trailed off again turning red.

Sakura already didn't like where this was going, she didn't have a good record with fathers. Hinata gathered her courage together and raised her head slightly to peek at Sakura through her heavy fringe.

"Pleasewillyoututormeaswell?" Hinata said all in one rush.

Taking a moment to work out what was said Sakura smiled, at least Hinata wasn't a shirker like Sasuke was.

"Sure! I tutor Sasuke three times a week, and then there's Darts Club Saturday morning, so with my studying, there's always Tuesday and Thursday afternoons it it suits you." Sakura said brightly.

Hinata gave a gentle smile.

"Th-that's great." She said relieved.

"What you didn't really think I'd say no did you?" Sakura asked in mock anger.

Hinata's embarrassed smile was answer enough. Sakura rolled her eyes and hooked an arm around Hinata's shoulders dragging her towards the exit.

"I guess we start today then?" Sakura said mentally noting to tell Itachi about her new timetable changes.

_I hope he isn't annoyed at me for tying up more of my time. _Sakura thought with a sudden doubt.

The apparance of Sasuke and Naruto forced her to stop thinking of Itachi and concentrate on her more complicated role of Sasuke's sincerely concerned friend and possible future girlfriend, which was still absolutely faked. Because of course Itachi was still the only one she was interested in. Absolutely.

Uchiha Mansion 

Sakura watched, her admiration grudgingly growing for the two boys. Their skills had been growing impressively in the last few weeks, turning their regular battles from scuffles and biting to seamless displays of dance. Except...

"Take this Sasuke-bastard."

Except when Naruto lost his cool like that and tried his own personally developed moves.

_Ouch._ Sakura thought in sympathy as Naruto nose dived spectaculary into the floorboards.

Sasuke smirked and lined up a finishing move only to be jerked back by Kakashi's restraining hand.

"Eh well, we'll finish there today." Kakashi said patting Sasuke on the head.

Kakashi straightened just as the sound of light footsteps reached Sakura's ears.

"Ah, hello Itachi, I wasn't expecting you so soon."

Kakashi stood a bemused look on his face, hands in the pockets of his loose black pants, but from the way Itachi looked at him he might as well have been holding a poisonous snake.

"I came to inform you that I will not be able to train tonight, my Father's orders." Itachi explained.

"Ah, what a pity." Kakashi said, smiling at the almost agressive Itachi. "But now that you're here I don't suppose you'd like to see Sasuke's results?"

Sasuke sucked in his breath and his eyes widened. Sakura couldn't tell if he looked happy or unhappy at the thought. Itachi appeared to think it over.

"I would like to know if my brother has made any progress." Itachi said cooly his face returning to its normal blankness.

Sakura worked hard not to turn her eyes from where she had them fixed on Sasuke's disbelieving face. Even Naruto looked surprised though it was hard to tell from behind his hands clutching the front regions of his face.

Kakashi scratched his head.

"We've just finished for the day, and Naruto's injured himself again, but Sasuke could fight Sakura if you'd like to watch." Kakashi offered, looking at Sakura dubiously.

A part of Sakura wanted to bite Kakashi's head off for doubting her abilities against Sasuke, another, bigger part admitted she'd probably already lost whatever small skills advantages she had over the boys. As much as she hated to admit it, and they would have to pry this confession from her dead, cold, jaws she wasn't in the same league as them when it came to fighting. Life was so not fair.

"But then..." Kakashi started, shrugging, "Sakura would only go easy on him seeing as he's her sweetie."

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

Sakura and Sasuke glared hotly at Kakashi a string of denials ready to let fly. Only their regards crossed, and suddenly Sasuke humphed and turned away and Sakura stared at the floor her cheeks turning pink.

"Daille fig hem." Naruto said advancing on Sasuke, one hand still over his nose.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, while Kakashi grabbed the advancing boy by the collar and literally tossed him to Sakura. Luckily Sakura was by now well trained and easily softened his landing with a quick grab and forceful push into a forward roll.

"I don't know why you haven't learnt to break fall." Sakura grumbled as she righted him so at least she wasn't talking to his butt.

"Oww," Naruto whined as she patted his hand down to look at his bruised nose.

"Stop wriggling!" Sakura ordered.

Positioning Naruto a little to the left she found she could easily examine his face while watching Itachi over his shoulder.

_Really it should be illegal to be this cunning._ Sakura thought to herself almost chuckling at the risk free veiw of Itachi.

Sasuke moved closer to his brother an unsure look on his face.

"Nii-san?" He asked his hand almost reaching out to tug on Itachi's sleeve.

Sasuke stopped the movement halfway when he noticed that Itachi hadn't turned his head from staring at Kakashi. Sakura had a moment to wonder over the animosity Itachi seemed to have towards the ever bemused Kakashi, before Naruto got all her attention by grabbing her hand and trying to kiss her cheek as a thankyou. Beating Naruto senseless was a useful outlet for her emotions Sakura found, and he offered plenty of opportunities.

"I'll fight him." Itachi said coldly.

For an instant Sasuke looked happy, it was quickly chased by a look of worry, then replaced by a blank visage that rivalled Itachi's.

Kakashi shrugged, and strolled away from the opposing brothers, taking up a position at the imaginary edge of the fight area

"I'll ref then, I trust you won't go all out on your little brother Itachi." Kakashi said a hint of warning in his voice.

Itachi made no sign of having heard him. Sasuke however let a smirk ride his lips.

"Heh, I can take whatever he's got." Sasuke said doing a damn good impression of Naruto.

"You're not at my level little brother." Itachi stated.

A look of anger twisted Sasuke's features.

"That's what we'll find out." He growled, tensing his body.

Sakura groaned quietly, Sasuke was falling into the same traps that Naruto fell into when Sasuke and Naruto fought. He was letting his anger get the better of him, and he was tensing his muscles. Pushing aside the butterflies she had over seeing Itachi, she wondered what Itachi's fighting style would be like.

Sasuke tried, he really did, but it was almost ridiculously easy for Itachi to dodge his attacks. At first Sasuke stayed back feinting with his fists before trying a complicated spinning kick that Itachi simply avoided with a side step. Without stopping Sasuke bent over placing his hands on the ground and striking up with his feet changing the angle of attack from circular to straight. Itachi leaned back but didn't bother to counterattack.

Coming down easily Sasuke tried to dodge around Itachi's side to attack from behind only to find Itachi behind him instead. Sasuke spun stepping away from Itachi using a elbow strike to keep Itachi at a short distance. Using his spin and the cover of the elbow Sasuke tried to hook Itachi's foot with his, Itachi stepped towards Sasuke startling the boy who stumbled back instinctively, his hooking foot doing no more than tapping against Itachi's shin.

Sasuke recovered quickly pushing forward again throwing a wild punch towards Itachi's still face. Itachi stepped aside tapping Sasuke's head in passing. Sasuke spun on one foot bringing the other around in a high kick aimed for Itachi's stomach. Itachi glided past Sasuke tapping his head again in passing. Placing his kicking foot down Sasuke followed Itachi with a rear kick turning at the same time to put his brother infront of him again.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he found Itachi merely millimetres away from him. His eyes blinked shut before he could control himself and his body prepared itself for the hit.

Nothing, just a sensation of air passing and that tap against his skull again. Again that condescending tap.

Finally Sasuke lost what little control he still had and made a running dive at Itachi. Itachi grabbed Sasuke's outstretched fist and pulled him sideways smacking his hand into the dojo wall. Sasuke's face crumpled in pain but not a sound escaped his lips. Even Naruto winced in sympathy. Sakura watched the scene her eyes round with shock.

Kakashi made a finish motion with his hand, as if he expected the fight to continue without it, and Sakura found herself running to Sasuke's side.

"Sasuke! Are you alright?" She asked not daring to touch the cradled hand.

"Hey Bastard, he really whupped your candy ass." Naruto said an unsure smile on his face.

Sasuke ignored them glaring instead at the bland face of his brother.

"I see you still have a long way to go little brother before you can best me." Itachi said as Sakura fluttered uselessly around the two of them.

"Itachi! What did you do that for?" Sakura asked angrily, turning on Itachi as Sasuke still refused to let her look at his injury.

Itachi's face didn't twitch at her tone, but Sakura stopped short and bit her lip. Were her loyalties divided this much? Sasuke and Naruto often beat each other to the point were one was injured, Naruto's bruised face being the proof. She never reacted like that to those injuries. Why did Itachi slamming Sasuke's fist into a wall scare her so much more?

_Itachi isn't like this, he-he's not violent and, and he's just not. _Sakura thought desperately.

"Itachi." Kakashi said, his voice halfway between exasperated and angry.

Before Kakashi could continue Itachi turned and bowed to Kakashi. Sakura still found the overly formal manners Itachi used at home strange. It always reminded her of how much richer and better bred his family was.

"I apologise Kakashi-sensei, I didn't think my brother would let himself be injured so easily. I will of course apologise to my father for the fact that Sasuke will no longer be able to accompany us tonight." Itachi said formally, not lifting his head until Kakashi gave a consenting grunt.

"Well," Kakashi sighed, "you two boys know the way to the first aid centre, off you go."

Naruto led the way, followed by a silent Sasuke.

"Ya know Bastard you're lucky you didn't injure your foot, the races are only a week away after all." Naruto's voice continued its useless banter as the two took the much used path to their second home.

"Sakura you can find your own way out I suppose?" Kakashi asked without taking his eyes from Itachi's still unmoved face.

Sakura nodded not looking at Itachi.

"I shall go and inform my father." Itachi said turning on his heel.

"You know he'll probably punish you for this accident." Kakashi said as if he was saying the weather was nice.

Itachi paused, and looked sideways at Kakashi for a moment, then shrugged and continued on his way.

Kakashi wandered off after the two boys, leaving Sakura to grab her bag and scurry after Itachi.

Catching up with him outside she was about to demand an explanation for his behaviour when he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her after him. He lengthened his stride forcing her to almost run to keep up with him.

"Did you leave something at the house?" Itachi asked without looking at her, his forehead pleated with worry his eyes scanning right and left for something, or someone.

Sakura shook her head and Itachi relaxed a little.

"I'll take you home, I have something to tell you that would be better in person than by a text."

Sakura would have said something, except all her breath was being used to keep up with Itachi.

Arriving at a garage the size of a small car sales yard, Itachi released Sakura's arm leaving her panting at the entrance. He slid into his car and nosed it out of the garage pausing beside Sakura long enough for her to slip in, before picking up speed as if he were afraid someone would try and call them back.

Leaving the high white walls of the Uchiha mansion behind, Itachi turned onto the highway skirting the town. Sakura waited expectantly, unsure how to approach Itachi when he was like this. When had he become so cold? When she'd first known him he'd been reserved, so reserved that people thought he was made of ice. But he'd never been _this_ cold. The Itachi she'd known would never have hurt someone like that, not and not apologised afterwards. What had he been doing with all this time off school?

Sakura nibbled her bottom lip, truthfully she was still shocked and upset by what had happened in the dojo. Added to that was Itachi's mysterious statement, he had something he needed to tell her in person. Not the most reassuring sentance for a girl to hear from her often absent boyfriend.

"You texted me before." Itachi said suddenly.

Sakura jumped at the sudden words, then subsided in relief, he just wanted to talk about her new tutoring job, what a relief, for a moment she'd thought he wanted to break up with her.

"About the offer from Mr Hyuuga." Itachi said, incase she hadn't understood.

Sakura nodded then remembered he probably couldn't see her and spoke.

"Uh-huh, I'll be tutoring Hinata, my friend from school, she's in Sasuke and Naruto's classes. And it'll be on Tuesdays and Thursdays but only for an hour right after school so, if you're ever free to see me it shouldn't interfer too much..." Sakura said in a rush of excitement and relief.

"I want you to quit." Itachi said bluntly.

"Pardon?" Sakura asked unsure she'd heard correctly.

"I don't want you to have anything to do with the Hyugga family, trust me it's better to just forget about them." Itachi said concentrating a moment to overtake a slow moving truck.

"But Hinata..."

"Can find another tutor."

Sakura sat dumbly staring at Itachi's profile while she tried to process what he was saying.

"But _why_...?" She asked unable to understand.

"Just do what I say Sakura, stay away from them, refuse the job."

"No." Sakura clapped a hand over her mouth, had she really said that?

Trembling from fear over his reaction she bit the side of her hand, why had she said no? Why was he so against her tutoring Hinata? It wasn't fair, why didn't he talk to her?

Itachi's face was stormy but Sakura held her ground. Her natural stubborness wouldn't let her back down now that she'd actually taken a position. It was _Hinata_, she promised to help her.

Itachi drove in silence for the last part of the journey pulling to a stop a street away from Sakura's house. Feeling like a whipped puppy Sakura slipped out of the car standing on the pavement hugging her school bag like a shield. She didn't want to leave until Itachi at least said something. Itachi leaned his head against the steering wheel, Sakura waited caught between her desire to please Itachi, and her desire to help Hinata.

"I can't guarentee your safety if you enter their house." Itachi said finally, a thin thread of emotion in his voice.

Sakura frowned, guarentee her saftey? From what? From who? He wasn't making any sense, she couldn't say no to Hinata without a concrete reason.

"Be careful Sakura you don't know what your getting into. The Hyuugas are... they're not... welcoming... to _outsiders_." Itachi slipped a pair of dark glasses out of his pocket and slid them over his eyes.

"But Hinata..."

"You don't know her, you can't know her, you're not..." Itachi stopped again. "You're not like us."

"Us? Not like, what do you mean?" Sakura asked puzzled and a little worried.

"It doesn't matter, just don't hang around there, don't talk to anyone." Itachi said tightly.

Before Sakura could think of anything else to say Itachi had pulled away from the curb and was driving away leaving her openmouthed.


	15. Laying the bait

Come on who thought I'd given up on the story? Huh huh? No way, I have the entire thing mostly planned out, heh heh. What I have been doing is dabbling with other stories to keep the creative interest up, and of course rereading my story outlines and tightenting things. I've already decided that all my stories will receive a rewrite after they're completely finished. Sigh, more work. Anyway, this time new character, and a big juicy hint as to the next part of the story. Enjoy! 

Disclaiming all rights or ownership of the characters in this fanfic. Vive les fanfics!

**oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo **

**Genius' in all but love**

**Laying the bait **

**Hyuuga Head Apartment Complex**

Sakura couldn't stop her heart from beating a million miles a minute. Hinata hadn't said a word since she'd slid into the limosine at school and she still didn't offer a word of comfort now. There was something that said _old_ money, that said _lots of old money_ about the place. Who else had an entire city block of apartment buildings that belonged to your family?

The apartment buildings, Sakura found out later, were occupied by the employees of the Hyuuga Corporations Main Office. The higher your apartment the higher your position, the closer to the centre your apartment building was, the closer your position to the President, the semi-legendaire Mr Hiashi Hyuuga. So someone who lived on the 16th floor of an outer building was more highly ranked than someone from the 10th floor in the same building. However someone who lived on only the 6th floor of a building closer to the centre was higher than someone who lived on the upper floor of an outer building. Etc...etc...

The buildings themselves formed a spiral. Sakura could see that now, from her vantage point, on the top floor, of the centre building. Sakura could see very well all the tiny little people scuttling around like ants busy working for the the mysterious President, and all that was seperating her from freefalling to join them was the thin pane of glass she had her nose pressed against. If only she could find the strength to stop leaning on that fragile shield and walk back to where Hinata was waiting. Safe, cute, not scary Hinata. However her mind seemed trapped like a little mouse running around in a cage. Or rather a deer caught in the headlights of a very high penthouse style apartment. It was only the second time she'd come here and she still got shaky.

"Sakura?" Hinata asked shyly.

Peeling her nose away from the glass Sakura focused on Hinata's reflection. Safe, cute, not scary Hinata, who lived about million miles up from the ground.

"I'm okay." Sakura said weakly, turning her head slowly. "I'm just not often up so high."

Forcing her shaking legs to cross the polished wood floors, Sakura gave Hinata a smile which seemed to reassure the girl. Hinata motioned to a discreet doorway.

"Let's go to my room." She said almost cheerfully.

Nodding enthusiatically Sakura remembered there weren't any floor to ceiling windows in Hinata's room at least.

Walking through the hallway leading to Hinata's room Sakura gazed curiously at the photographs lining the walls. All were very beautiful if a little formal.

_Formal as a funeral._ Sakura corrected silently.

Hinata's room was spacious, though not on the same level as Sasuke's, and pretty. Sakura envied Hinata's chance to have such a lovely place. Noticing that Hinata was still a little tense, Sakura gave a sigh of joy and lay her upper body on the pretty white desk and hugged it.

"I'm never going home!" She said happily.

Hinata blushed a little and giggled.

"Seriously it's so...pretty, and dainty, and sweet!" Sakura enthused. "It's exactly like you."

"I do not deserve such praise." Hinata said softly.

Plonking herself down in a chair Sakura patted the chair next to her.

"Come on student of mine, let's get started."

**Later**

Hinata was, Sakura had decided, not too horribly bad. She was no genius, but she wasn't an idiot. What she was, was easily discouraged, and as far as Sakura could figure out, not overly interested in alot of her subjects. But if you explained it to her carefully then made her practice and practice she finished by mastering what ever was placed in front of her.

A maid had just left, leaving two glasses of freshly pressed fruit juice and various biscuits when the door burst open again.

A young girl entered the room like a hard gust of wind, she was dressed in the uniform for Fire Academy's younger section. She stood with her feet planted her eyes opened wide in shock. Quickly she recovered and eyed Sakura with hostility.

"Ha-hanabi." Hinata said surprised.

Hanabi nodded briefly to her big sister and continued her scrutiny of Sakura.

"Hello, I'm Sakura, a friend of your sister's." Sakura said confidently, holding out her hand.

Hanabi ignored it, except to note the bitten nails and slightly dirty nature.

"What's she doing here?" Hanabi asked brusquely.

"Sh-she's giving me lessons. Father said it was alright." Hinata said twisting her fingers together.

"I doubt Father knew exactly what he agreed to." Hanabi said, raising an eyebrow looking like someone Sakura knew.

Sakura set her jaw, she was not going to start a fight with the little harpy, she was well brought up, polite, _mannered_.

"Father said it was alright, it's to help my grades." Hinata repeated a touch of desperation in her voice.

"Huh." Was all Hanabi said.

"Don't you have lessons now?" Hinata asked in a timid voice.

Hanabi huffed and stared at her sister a long moment.

"You need to change your clothes." Hinata continued. "Father will not be pleased if you are late for your lessons."

Hanabi turned and paced to the door of Hinata's room. With a hand on the door knob, she turned and looked severely at her sister.

"I would have thought that your taste in aquaintances would have improved."

With that she left, leaving Sakura nailed to her seat in surprise and Hinata squirming in embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry about that, she's usually very nice." Hinata said in apology.

Noticing her friend's discomfort Sakura made an effort to snap her open mouth shut and act like nothing had happened. It took a while, eventually Sakura managed to force out a sentence.

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"We're not very close, she's almost five years younger than me and well, different." Hinata said, a sad, shy smile on her face.

"You don't say." Sakura said, which was the most polite thing she could think of saying at a moment like this.

"Oh please don't think too badly of her. She's actually alot like you." Hinata said fidgeting her homework on the desk.

Sakura's eyes rounded in horror.

"She's very smart, she's been put in the advanced class at her school already." Hinata paused in her shuffling, ducking her head.

"We're all very proud of her. Especially Father."

Finally finding that the already neatly stacked paper was even more neatly stacked, Hinata folded her hands in her lap. He head curved forwards and she seemed to shrink into herself as if ashamed she took up so much space.

A touch of pity crept into Sakura's heart. As always the hunched form of her friend gave Sakura the desire to wrap her up and protect her. Sakura's genius kicked into overdrive coming up with a brillant idea.

"Come on, we're finished for the day." Sakura said pulling Hinata to her feet. "I have an idea, a reward for all your hard work."

**The Shuriken**

"The next time I tell you that I have a brillant idea, shoot me." Sakura grumbled.

Hinata giggled and patted her friend's hand in sympathy.

"Sakura-sweetie! Look, look! I improved!" Naruto practically screamed, though he was only a few metres away.

He stood sweaty and triumphant on the stage of the Dancemania machine in the back of The Shuriken. It was after opening hours and Tenten had dragged them into the back.

Around the table lounged Sasuke, Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten. They were waiting for Lee to arrive from training.

"So Sakura you said it was an emergency?" Sasuke asked, bored already.

Sakura grimaced. All she'd done was ring Naruto and invite him to join her and Hinata for a friendly drink, her plan beign to ditch them as as possible. But being the consciencious bodyguard that Naruto was he'd looped in Sasuke, and Sasuke being the arrogant bastard he was dragged them all to The Shuriken. In the middle somewhere, her plans for Hinata and Naruto's first date had been smushed up and forgotton.

The most annoying thing was that Hinata didn't seem to mind. She seemed perfectly happy to be squished between Tenten and Sakura watching Naruto make a fool of himself. Sakura ignored Sasuke's pointed looks and stirred her soda thinking about her lack of dating love life.

_Huh, can it really be called a lovelife when the object of said love is maybe no longer in love with me. And is no where around..._ Further depressing thought were knocked aside as Sasuke stood up jostling Sakura.

"Hey." Sakura complained on principal.

"I'm getting another drink, you want one?" He asked stiffly not looking at her.

"Why don't you be polite and ask the others too?" Sakura said, taking out her dissapointment on him.

Sasuke and Sakura glanced at Hinata and Tenten.

Hinata suddenly found her own half full drink very interesting. Tenten started staring at the walls, muttering about redecorating.

Sasuke muttered 'forget it' and walked away. Naruto strolled up, a grin on his face.

"Awwww is the bastard running away?" He asked, sitting down in Sasuke's place.

"Nah, he's gone to get a drink." Tenten said,knockin back her's and looking at her watch. "Lee's late."

"Ah a cold beverage, I believe I would bestow a kiss on the hand of the maiden who brought me a cold drink." Naruto said, looking significantly at Sakura, who looked significantly at Hinata, who looked everywhere except at them.

"Here. I hope it chokes you." Sasuke muttered thrusting a drink towards Naruto.

He'd brought back a large pitcher of drink and busied himself serving everyone at the table leaving Sakura for last before taking the free seat next to Tenten.

Hinata gave her a look. Sakura ignored it, he did not get drinks for everyone just because she suggested it.

_Right, he just suddenly developed manners and charm._ Her inner self scoffed.

_Shut up you, it doesn't matter what he does, it's Itachi all the way!_ Sakura snapped back.

"There are a lot of cops in there. Sasuke said conversationally.

Sakura noticed that he hadn't touched his drink. There was a particular set to his shoulders that said he was stressed but Sakura couldn't think why.

"Huh?" Tenten said turning away from her conversation with Hinata.

"Oh yeah, well you know, Cop Bar and all." She waved her hand as if it were obvious.

"Cop Bar?" Naruto asked, twirling his swizle stick in his mouth.

"Yeah, my Dad was a cop, well before his accident, and now he runs this bar. So you know, Cop Bar. Cop's are like one really big family."

Hinata's eyes rose up into her fringe, as did Sasuke's.

"What you guys got a problem with cops?" Tenten asked jokingly.

"N-no! Nooo! No problem." Hinata said quickly.

Sasuke took a long drink of his soda and set the can down carefully.

"Uh, your Dad, is he..." Sasuke started.

"Oh don't worry, Dad's not gonna go all cop on us. He lets me do pretty much what ever I like, he has a lot of confidence in me." Tenten said.

Naruto and Sakura looked between the two groups bemused. So Tenten's Dad used to be a cop, so they were in a cop bar? So what? It wasn't like they were breaking the law, they were drinking sodas, and not even in the bar. Sakura rolled her eyes.

At that moment Lee arrived with a wave of sound as he opened the door between the games room and the bar. Sounds of yells and welcome were cut off as the door swung shut. Lee strode forward his eyes shining with excitment.

"Tenten! I have excellent news!" He began before catching sight of Sakura.

"Sakura! I didn't dare hope to see you again so soon." He said sliding into place between Naruto and Sakura like magic. Naruto grumbled but moved away.

"Hi Lee." Sakura said, leaning back casual like to increase the distance between her and his eyebrows.

He was so _weird_.

"What's the scoop Lee?" Tenten asked all business.

"The coach has decided the teams for next week's school athletic day. We are teamed with Neji Hyuuga!" Lee's eyes shone. "With such a team victory is surely ours!"

"Hey! We'll be running too." Naruto said, jabbing a finger at Lee.

"What? Why teams?" Tenten snapped. "Wait, that'll mean I'll have a chance to corner him and ask him to join the Darts Club, thereby raising our profile and increasing membership! Lee it's brillant!"

Lee nodded.

"But the best is yet to come, it's short notice, coach is spitting tacks, but the regional government has decided to introduce an inter-school competition!"

At the word competition, Sakura felt her fighting spirit lift its head. Preparing for a competition would definately get her mind off missing Itachi.

"All the schools in the city will be putting forward their best scholars and atheletes to compete next month in the first ever, Grand Leaf City Tournament. Only one school can win."

Sakura's eyes shone. Yes! Scholars _and_ atheletes. She's was so in.

"Details, Lee, I need details." Tenten snapped at the excited boy, she was all business.

"Each school's team will be made up of four scholars and four atheletes." Lee said, saluting Tenten. "There are no specifications for gender compositions of the teams, but all teams must be enrolled by the end of next week. All members of the team will compete in all areas of the competion, which means the scholars will be expected to participate in the team sports events and the atheletes to participate in the team academic events. Should make things harder."

Tenten nodded.

"Anything else?" Sakura asked, edging forward in her seat her eyes locked on Lee's.

"Uh, the atheletes will be chosen at the sports day, but for the scholars I guess they'll need a couple of days to put together a test." Lee said, blushing at Sakura's intent look.

"Hmmm, today's Thursday, I guess they'll be telling everyone tomorrow. The weekend to prepare, the sports day on Tuesday, no tests until at least Wednesday then." Sakura reasoned pleased with herself.

"Sakura! Let our youthful spirits and energy lead us to a brighter future! One of victory!" Lee enthused, grabbing her hands and pulling her to her feet.

Sakura grinned, happier than she'd been since Itachi had tried to forbid her to tutor Hinata.

"Sure!" She enthused. "Do you think you'll make it onto the team? Of course I'll be chosen for the scholar's side, I probably won't even have to sit the test!"

Sakura paused realising just how arrogant she sounded.

"Well, I mean, I'll have to sit the test and of course there's a chance I'll fail.." She said desperately.

Tenten was ignoring her, too busy mentally comparing her best times against the other members of the atheletics club. Hinata was too busy refilling Naruto's empty glass, who was too busy boasting to her that of course he's win a spot on the team, scholar or athelete, didn't matter he was an allrounder. Hinata nodding furiously. Only Sasuke was watching her and Lee, he must have swallowed an icecube by mistake because he looked strange.

Breaking her hands free of Lee's Sakura sat down again smoothing her school uniform out of nervous habit.

They decided to split up as Tenten and Lee wanted to improve their times, and Sakura wanted to start revising.

"Revising what?" Naruto asked, holding out Hinata's coat as she tried to put it on without touching his hands.

"Everything!" Sakura said happily.

The idea of a competion, the strain, the study, the stress, the meeting and striving against other equally intelligent people always gave her a thrill.

As they left she didn't even notice the way Sasuke and Hinata seemed to hide themselves behind the others. But even if she had noticed it, she wouldn't have thought much about it as the scent of a competion was in the air, and that was really the important thing.

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Sorry Ms thang, I agree a - would be more professional, if smaller, but I'm emotionally tied to the o, will try the - thing with my next xtory. Cheers for the tip.


	16. Winds of Change

A little ItachiSakura time was needed so here we are taking a side step from the main storyline. Ahh it's good to be back to regular updating schedules!

Standard Disclaimer: Insert text.

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Winds of Change**

Things were going exactly as planned Sakura decided as she clicked her pen. Yesterday the principal had annonced the contest to the school and set the dates. Sports Day was being changed into tryouts and the exam for the scholar's was to be Thursday. That gave her five days to revise, not including the brief effort she would be forced to make at the relay race. Rechecking the stack of books she'd commandeered from the library Sakura pulled one out to start revising.

The school was really giving a lot of support to everyone who was trying out, the athletic grounds and the school library were going to be open all weekend for anyone who wanted to use them to prepare. They even had some teachers giving extra lessons.

"Good luck Sakura!" Someone called from the entrance of the school library.

Sakura turned slightly and gave a thumbs up.

"No sweat!" She said brightly.

Since the announcement alot of people had been wishing her good luck. Her popularity had taken a boost since people had realised that she was their shining hope to crush Fire Academy in the contest.

_The enemy of my enemy...or something like that._ Sakura thought to her to prick her swelling pride.

There had even been the suggestion that she and Neji would make a good pair. He would lead the way in the sports events, and she in the academic. The force and the intelligence. Apparently someone had started bets on their going out together before the end of the contest. Hinata had told her that people were pestering her for inside information. Hence her choice of particulary unattractive clothes and hairstyle. She didn't want to attract the hate of Neji's fangirls. Baggy jeans, old t-shirt, twin ponytails, plain girl is go!

_As if I would ever betray my darling Itachi!_ Sakura thought with a sniff.

Even if it had forever since she'd seen him last. Musing Sakura traced a couple of lines on the blank paper in front of her. Coming back to reality she blushed as she realised she'd just sketched a very naked Itachi. Okay only the upper body, but still. Hastily she tore out the picture. Looking at it guiltly she had to admit that it looked okay, it was even almost recognisable, except the hair was a bit funny, it looked too short. She tried to correct it but only ended up ruining it all together.

Putting aside a possible future artistic career Sakura folded the picture carefully and slipped it into her bag. Maybe she could work on it later at home. Girl had to have hobbies.

Three hours later Sakura straightened up in her chair and stretched her hands high over her head. A hand snaked its way over the band of stomach skin exposed by her stretch. Giving a yelp she turned in her seat to see Itachi standing behind her.

He was smiling for once. Feeling all her other feelings flee before that rare smile she threw herself into his arms and squeezed him until he had to beg her to let go. She did but gave him a pouting look.

"That's for not calling me!" She said not letting him go completely.

She suddenly didn't care if someone saw her. Let them see.

"Sorry." He said in his soft voice.

Sakura pulled back until only her hands rested on his hips. She looked at him critically. He sombered under her gaze and raised an eyebrow.

"Do I meet madam's approval?" He asked seriously.

He was dressed casually in a dark blue madarin collered top, and grey beige trousers. His hair in its habitual ponytail and his eyes uncovered. Sakura pretended to consider it then nodded enthusiastically.

"You look... happy." She said finally.

Itachi tipped his head and looked at her quizically.

"Happy?" He asked, a little dissapointed. "That's not exactly what I was hoping for."

Sakura poked out her tongue and grinned.

"Well you do." She affirmed. "I hope it's because of me!"

Itachi smiled. Sakura felt her heart do a little flip.

"Partly." He said.

Sakura pouted, it didn't really matter why he was happy. She was just glad he was, but it would've been more romantic if he'd said 'yes'.

"Are you very busy?" He asked, seeming a little anxious.

"Not really." Sakura lied.

Sure she had alot of study planned, but what 13year old with a gorgeous boyfriend would stay stuck behind a revision book, when she could be outside?

_Especially when said boyfriend has a red convertable sportscar? _Sakura thought minutes later as she and Itachi dissapeared into traffic.

Sakura was quietly bemoaning her choice of clothes as Itachi pulled to a stop beside a fast food restaurant. Remembering her hair was still in its ridiculous twin ponytails she quickly yanked out the bands and hid them in her jean's pocket. She yelped as a hat was shoved over her head.

"Wha?" She asked tipping the brim back a little to look up into Itachi's face.

"Sorry," He said. "The sun is a little bright today I don't want you to get burnt." He said tucking her hair up under the hat.

Personally she thought he was being ridiculous, but the feel of his hands on her made up for it. If he wanted her to wear a hat, she would wear a hat. Hell if he wanted her to wear a clown nose she would. Anything he wanted. Anything.

Walking into the restaurant together, Itachi cast his eyes around.

"Are we going to order?" Sakura asked, as Itachi made no move towards the counter.

"Sure, sure." Itachi said distractly.

Sakura tugged on his hand to draw his attention back to her and frowned up at him.

"May I ask what we're doing here if it's not to eat?" Sakura asked, a point of hurt in her voice.

"I didn't blow off half a day of study to be ignored mister." Sakura said.

_Unless he's still angry that I'm tutoring Hinata._ Sakura wondered biting her lip in worry.

Itachi brushed a thumb against her lip and sighed.

"I am being rude aren't I?" He said ashamed.

Sakura rocked back on her heels, today Itachi was definately not acting like _his_ normal self. If she had to describe him, she would have to say, well... _normal_, normal. Itachi normal was quiet, dark, serious, distant, if he felt an emotion it was usually anger and even that was muted. With her there was sometimes a desperation that she didn't understand, the only thing that drove it away were her kisses. Today he seemed excited, like a little boy waiting for Christmas.

He seemed happy, something he was only rarely, even with her. It shouldn'tve have mattered, but it did. It hurt to think that something else made him happier than she did.

"I want you to meet someone." Itachi said pulling her over to a table and sitting her down.

Sakura made a face.

"It's not that Kissiehama person is it?" She asked, suppressing a shudder.

She really didn't want to meet that blue haired man again. Itachi snorted in laughter.

"Kissiehama?" He asked raising an eyebrow at her pronounciation. "No it's not Kisame, I would never willing introduce you to him. He'd eat you alive."

Itachi fixed his eyes on the entrance to the restaurant.

"No, this guy wouldn't hurt you for anything. He's my friend."

Sakura felt a spike of jealousy at Itachi's warm tone.

"Do I know him?" Sakura asked, biting back her green monster.

She tried to think if it could be anyone from school but couldn't think of anyone that might excite this much warmth from Itachi.

"No, he's been away for years now. He's only just come back." Itachi said without offering more explanation.

Settling back into her seat Sakura watched Itachi's watching eyes and restless hands. There was a smile tugging on his lips, and an air of nervous excitement charged the air around him. Putting aside her jealousy for the moment, Sakura reflected that it was a good thing that Itachi had a friend that obviously meant so much to him. Afterall she'd often worried that he was so isolated from everyone. If there was someone else he could open up to, it was all for the better. She shouldn't be so selfish as to want to be his sole source of happiness.

Feeling like a better person she too fixed her eyes on the door. Very quickly she noticed the dirty looks the manager of the restaurant was giving her and Itachi. Sliding out of her seat she asked Itachi what he wanted to eat, too distracted to answer, Itachi gave her some money and said anything would do.

Taking a selection of things, enough for an eventual third person, Sakura made her way back to their table. Itachi's friend must've arrived while she was queuing because as she approached the table she saw another dark head next to Itachi's. Coming up shyly to the table she waited for Itachi to introduce her.

It was the stranger who noticed her first, Itachi was completely absorbed in listening to whatever the other had been saying.

Sakura had to admit he was handsome enough. In a happy, warm, carefree way, but her Itachi was still better. The newcomer looked a little older than Itachi

"Sakura, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Shisui Uchiha. He was like a big brother for me growing up." Itachi said, finally noticing that she'd arrived.

Sakura bobbed her head in greeting, almost overblancing the tray. Shisui nodded back and gave a friendly smile.

"This is Sakura," Itachi said, taking the tray and placing it down on the table.

Moving to stand behind Sakura, he placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her a little closer to Shisui.

"She's my girlfriend." Itachi said.

Shisui's eye's rounded as Sakura's did. She felt an enormous burst of happiness inside her. It was the first time he'd acknowledged her as his girlfriend in public. Well maybe not public, but in front of someone important to him. That counted for alot. Suddenly she didn't care that Itachi was happier more because Shisui was there, than because she was there. She was his publically declared girlfriend.

"My, my." Shisui said. "I never believed you'd be able to catch a cute thing like her."

Itachi rolled his eyes and slid back into the seat next to Shisui, leaving Sakura to float to hers.

"I figured she must've been a new bodyguard from your father."

Even Itachi looked at Shisui surprised.

"A bodyguard?" Sakura asked nonplussed.

Shisui looked in askance at Itachi who made a little sign with his head.

"Oh you know how it goes, rich kids and kidnapping threats." Shisui said brushing it aside.

"So tell me," Shisui said leaning closer to Sakura, "is he a good kisser?"

Sakura shot back in her seat blushing furiously. Itachi let out an embarrassed squeak and tried to grab Shisui. Shisui easily dodged him and held him at arm's length.

"'Cause I have to say his first attempts were a disaster." Shisui said, slipping a head lock onto Itachi and covering his mouth.

Sakura's mouth hung open in surprise. Her Itachi had kissed someone else? And Shisui knew about it?

"Yep," Shisui said sighing, "I don't think that teddy bear ever got over the shock of the repeated molestations."

Itachi let out a muffled yell struggling harder to free himself as Sakura collasped in relief. A teddy bear, it'd only been a teddy bear. Wait, a _teddy bear_? Her Itachi had once practiced kissing on a teddy bear?

She couldn't help it she hid her face in her hands as an image of a little Itachi practicing kissing on a teddy bear burst into her head. She was afraid that Itachi wouldn't like to see her laughing so much at his expense. A TEDDY BEAR!

With her hands over her face and her own laughter ringing in her ears Sakura didn't see Itachi land a strike on Shisui, who pulled back surprised. Shisui looked a long time at Itachi's red face, then shrugged his shoulders and turned away.

"You've gotten better." Shisui said quietly, as they waited for Sakura to stop laughing.

Itachi said nothing, vaguely ashamed that he'd hit his cousin.

"Are you good enough to beat me yet I wonder?" Shisui asked.

Again Itachi found nothing to say.

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Or is it a side step?

You are free to imagine the rest of the date.


	17. Seeds of Doubt

Yep I'm back! It's going a bit slowly of course, but I'm actually working on things like gee quality so you don't get landed with anything too crappy. I really like writing Sasuke as a brat but I'm still having trouble with Sakura, critism welcome about her character.

Disclaimer: Ooo went by so fast you didn't see it.

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**Genius' in all but love.**

**Seeds of Doubt**

**Library Konoha College  
**

Sakura tugged the hat down further over her hair as she slipped back inside the library. Itachi's goodbye kiss still had her feeling floaty and she really needed to get her head back together if she wanted to get another hour's study in before catching a bus home. Stealthily she regained her place and picked up the first book to fall under her hand.

"That was the world's longest toilet break." Sasuke's voice said sarcastically from behind a wall of stacked books.

Sakura jumped out of her seat squealing.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the sound and Sakura blushed as she realised she'd sounded alot like a pig.

"Sasuke! When did you get here?" Sakura asked, trying to hide a guilty blush.

She slowly, calmly, lowered herself into her seat.

"A while ago." Sasuke said pushing aside a stack of books so he could see her.

"Where were you?" He asked bluntly.

"Like you said." Sakura said, smiling brightly. "Call of nature."

"What d'ya got? Diarrhoea?" He spat at her.

Rocking back in her chair from the out and out hate in his voice Sakura worked hard to put a friendly smile on her face.

"If you must know, I went for a little walk to clear my head." Sakura replied, gritting her teeth.

Sasuke humphed and went back to the book he was flicking through.

Sakura scrutinised him for a moment.

"May I ask what you're doing here?" She asked, a point of sarcasm in her voice.

"What does it look like?" Sasuke asked without bothering to raise his eyes.

When she didn't say anything he added.

"Avoiding the idiot."

"Where is Naruto anyway?" Sakura asked more to steer Sasuke away from thinking about her than anything else.

"Training with eyebrows and beanpole girl." Sasuke said jerking his thumb over towards the far window.

Crossing to peer out Sakura looked down on the athletics field. A fair number of people were training including Naruto, Lee and Tenten. Tenten and Lee were pelting around the track lapping everyone else while Naruto was running earnestly along behind them. She felt a leap of happiness as she saw Naruto stumble to an exhausted halt beside a blushing Hinata who immediately held out a bottle of water, and then dissapeared into the bleachers when he raised his head to thank her.

"What's making you smile?" Sasuke grumped.

"What's your problem?" Sakura asked frowning at him. "So Naruto's practising, what's bit you?"

Sasuke hissed out his breath and looked away. Sakura controlled the impulse to strangle him.

"I can't go home without him, my Father's orders. So for as long as that idiot wants to train I have to stay here too." He complained.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Well why aren't you training? You gonna leave it to Naruto to win all the glory?" She asked, needling him just a little.

"Who says I want to enter the stupid competition anyway." Sasuke mumbled turning back towards the table.

Sakura felt a stab of pity for him, she was sure that in the instant he'd glanced down at the track there'd been a flash of envy in his eyes.

_I know one person who'd like to compete._ Sakura said to herself.

She followed him back to the table and sat down thinking carefully.

"Well almost everyone going to at least try. What about you?" She asked picking her dropped book back up.

"Huh do I look like I have school spirit?" Sasuke mumbled distracted by a lonely fly bashing it's head repeatedly against a window.

"Well I suppose it's not really important." Sakura said offhandedly, tapping her pencil against her cheek as she pretended to think about what to note down.

"After all we have enough atheletes and besides me this school doesn't need any other scholars." Sakura said peeking up to see if the dart had hit home.

Sasuke's glare darkened but he said nothing.

"I mean, " Sakura said trying to press the point, "between Neji, Tenten, Lee and even Naruto, we should be all set, and with me...well the intelligence section should be all wrapped up."

"You're awfully sure of yourself." Sasuke said.

"Of course." Sakura said stung.

She was known as a bit of a wall flower socially, but give her a school topic and she had no weaknesses. Languages, maths, sciences, literature, history, social studies, all laid out their secrets to her.

"Well there's no doubt that with that enormous forehead you're a major brain, but don't forget you'll have to compete in the sports events aswell." Sasuke said shaking his head at her.

Sakura drew herself up, her pride smarting.

"You of all people should know I can hold my own on a sports feild." Sakura said hotly.

"Uh huh." Sasuke said idly twirling his pencil.

"Are you calling me a nerd?" She spluttered angrily.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow again, she was starting to hate his doing that.

"Okay, fine maybe I am a nerd. But I'm a sporty nerd and when I win this competition...you'll be sorry." Sakura promised glowering at him.

Sasuke shrugged and turned his head away again.

"Now that might be worth seeing." Sasuke said curious.

"What? Me victorious?" Sakura asked trying to follow the rapid turns in the conversation.

"No, you hot and sweaty wearing some little lycra outfit." He said his eyes sliding over to her.

Sakura immediately blushed bright red. She batted at him with her book.

"I don't wear lycra! That's so 80's and gross... and sexist you pig!" She shrilled.

"SHHHHHHHH!" A loud voice said.

Ducking her head Sakura peeked over towards the supervising teacher who'd come in during her 'break'.

"Just you wait, just you wait." She muttered shooting a murderous glare at Sasuke who merely smirked back.

Idly he started flipping through books while she bent her head studiously over the blank page.

"It won't be as easy as you think it will be." Sasuke said suddenly.

"What won't be?" Sakura asked looking up.

"The competition." Sasuke explained.

Sakura opened her mouth to disagree but Sasuke held up his hand.

"Not the school tryouts, the real competition." He said.

Sakura looked at him non-plussed.

"Well it maynot be a walkover, but I'm still really very confident that..." She started.

"What? Do you think you're the only genius in the city?" Sasuke asked raising an eyebrow.

Sakura felt her own eyebrow twitch in response.

"Of course not! But they'd have to be pretty good to be better than me!" Sakura said loudly.

"Miss Haruno, Mr Uchiha," the supervising teacher said through clenched teeth. "As you can't seem to work in silence I'll have to ask you to leave. I'm sure this won't affect your chances Miss Haruno, have a safe trip home."

Sakura cringed in embarrassment. She gathered up her books silently fuming at Sasuke. Sasuke however was smirking as if he was highly pleased with something.

**Outside**

Sakura tried to out distance him by walking as fast as she could. Nothing doing, he stuck to her like glue.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked him turning around quickly.

"Nothing." He said.

Clenching her teeth so hard her jaw hurt, Sakura turned on her heel and restarted walking towards the bus stop.

Arriving a little out of breath she scanned the timetable. It being Saturday she was unfamiliar with the schedule. She let out a little groan as she realised that it was slightly more than an hour before the next bus going in her direction. Reading the schedule over her shoulder, Sasuke smirked.

"The limo's here." Sasuke said. "Naruto should be finishing soon, if you wanted we could drop you home."

Looking at Sasuke warily, Sakura noted none of the usual arrogance in his offer. In fact he seemed to be working hard to keep it casual. Intrigued Sakura nodded, if Sasuke took her home then she could make up the time lost by studying tonight. But if she had to wait an hour and then the bus ride home, which was paradoxically twice as long as walking home but safer, she'd never have enough time to make up her 'break'.

"Right, I'll just go see if Naruto is free." Sasuke said turning and strolling away. "Wait for us by the car."

_Of course, sir, what ever you say, sir, no problem sir._ Sakura thought pouting.

It wasn't that he was a bossy, overbearing pain in the butt that wore her down, it was that she almost always ended up doing what he said. Case in point, her feet were currently dragging her towards the long black limo parked subtly infront of the school sport's field. Sakura sighed at her own weakness. It must be the fact that Sasuke resembled Itachi that made her so obedient.

Not that they were twins, Sakura reflected. A glance would make you think that they were the same, but enough time let you know that they were like night and day.

She guessed it was the age that made them so different. Itachi had a depth to him, a mystery that Sasuke just couldn't match. Sasuke still reacted like a child, pouting and complaining, while Itachi ... she couldn't explain what Itachi was like, but it wasn't like Sasuke.

She didn't have time to think about the differences as Sasuke appeared quickly dragging Naruto behind him. Sakura plastered a big smile on her face and waved as Naruto caught sigh of her and immediately started jogging towards her.

"Sakura-sweetie!" He said excited. "Is it true you're coming out to eat with us?"

Hopping from foot to foot Naruto grinned. Sakura nodded.

"Well studying makes a girl hungry, but I have to get home right after." Sakura warned, trying to counter the sinking feeling in her stomach over yet more lost study time.

"Aw you studied alot today, hours at least, you can take a break." Sasuke said opening a door and leaning on the top to stare innocently at her.

"After all you're such a genius the competition will be no problem." Sasuke drawled.

Sakura stiffened in hurt humiliation. How dare he throw her words back at her, she'd show that stuck up, good for nothing bastard it didn't pay to mess with her.

"I guess we're eating at your house then." Sakura said enjoying the quick paling of Sasuke's skin.

"Unless one of you guys has money." Sakura said, almost sure that neither of them would.

A dead silence reigned. Smiling sweetly Sakura slipped into the car through the door still held open by Sasuke and scooted to the opposite window. The boys started to bicker as they got in after her but the words slid off like water as Sakura sunk back into a reverie about Itachi's smile. But in her reverie Itachi smiled only because of her.

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Next chapter more of the mysterious Uchiha family as a family party is planned!**  
**


	18. Nothing hurts like family

Yay! Nothing stops the chapters now. Holidays are here, I haveregained my keyboard and the ideas are flowing.This is kinda of a two parter sorry.

Standard disclaimer: If you can't tell the difference between the original and this knock off version, you aren't a real fan. Clue you don't pay for this one.

* * *

**Genius' in all but love.**

**Nothing hurts like family**

**Uchiha mansion**

It was already dark by the time they arrived at Sasuke's mansion. Parents duly notified of her dinner plans Sakura was arguing with Naruto over whether he was likely to win a place in the team or not. As the limosine pulled up the driveway Sasuke suddenly straightened in his seat.

"Fuck me." He said brusquely and hit the intercom button. "Take us round the back, do not stop no matter what."

Sakura bit back the reprimand for bad language and stared out the tinted window. More limosines and sports cars than she thought possible were parked around the entrance of the mansion. People lounged around, mostly young men in dark suits all of whom bore at least a passing resemblance to Sasuke and Itachi.

Sakura shivered as their eyes slid over to the slow moving car, unconsiously she ducked down lower in her seat.

"Naruto take her to the dojo, keep her there, I'll let you know when it's safe to get her home." Sasuke said his eyes also on the group.

"What about Kakashi-sensei? He isn't exactly welcoming." Naruto said doubtfully. "We could hide her in your room, climb up the outerfence..."

"No." Sasuke said brusquely. "She doesn't enter the house. Take her to the dojo, hide her."

Sakura shivered as they passed close to a group of five young men all of whom seemed to fix her with their eyes.

Something Sakura knew to be ridiculous, the window were tinted, noone could see in. So why did it feel like they were staring right at her.

"Sasuke...who are these people?" She finally managed to ask as they moved on and the group went back to their conversation.

Sasuke leaned his chin on his hand, elbow on the arm rest and stared at his blank face reflected in the smoky window.

"My family." Sasuke said finally.

Even Sakura's famous curiousity died at the flat tone Sasuke used.

Feeling the car slowing down Naruto grabbed Sakura's hand and her bag and opened the door. Without giving her a chance to protest Naruto dragged her towards the darkness of the garden. Sakura looked back quickly to see Sasuke walking up the steps to the back door his eyes trained on the wood so as not to give away their position.

Sakura let herself be dragged as far as the dojo before deciding that she'd been polite enough and dug her heels in.

"C'mon Sakura-sweetie." Naruto pleaded whispering. "We need to get somewhere safe."

"Safe?" Sakura whispered back surprised. "What do you mean, 'safe'? Why are we not safe here?"

"It's not that we're not _safe_." Naruto whispered desperately still trying to drag Sakura up the step and into the dojo shoes and all.

"It's more that Sasuke-bastard's family isn't really welcoming towards strangers. Especially at a family party." Naruto admitted in low tones fixing her with his biggest puppy-dog eyes.

"So what? So they won't invite me in for tea and biscuits I'll just go home, it's no big deal." Sakura whispered stopping long enough to remove her shoes anyway before following Naruto who was creeping towards the back of the dojo.

"No, you don't understand. These 'parties' are completely exclusive, if they find out that Sasuke brought a stranger here... well it'll be bad. Really bad." Naruto whispered then making a shushing motion with his hand he peeked into the living quarters behind the dojo and breathed a sigh of relief.

Naruto ushered Sakura into the small apartment and closed the sliding door. Once it was closed he breathed a sigh of relief.

"They'll never come here." Naruto explained giving a smile.

Sakura frowned back.

"What do you mean really bad?" She asked quietly taking a seat on the couch without asking.

"Well, I'm not sure exactly. But you don't mess around with his family, that's for sure." Naruto said going through to the kitchen.

Coming back with two soda cans in his hands, Naruto gave one to Sakura, who noted with a silent snort that he didn't give her a glass.

_Boys._ Sakura thought with a feeling of social superiority.

"Kakashi-sensei left a note on the fridge, he's at the party and he won't be back until late, which is excellent for us." Naruto said suddenly seeming shy.

"I thought the Uchiha's didn't like 'strangers' at their 'parties'." Sakura said taking a sip.

"Oh, Kakashi-sensei isn't a guest, he's working." Naruto said his cheeks turning red as he edged towards where Sakura was seated.

"Working?" Sakura said in disbelief. "As what? A barman, a waiter...coat-boy?"

"Nooooo." Naruto said finally drawing up enough courage to sit down next to Sakura on the couch.

"He's more like, I don't know. Crowd control?" Naruto said studiously not looking at Sakura.

"Huh, you and Sasuke and your secrets." Sakura grumped, feeling tired all of a sudden.

Noise from the dojo made even Sakura's heart leap into her throat. Grabbing Sakura's wrist Naruto dragged her through the apartment and into his bedroom. Pushing her into the closet he went back to the door and slipped out.

A few heart stopping minutes later he returned.

"It's okay, it was nothing really. They're gone already." He said helping her out. Once standing Sakura realised that Naruto was blushing again and she felt an answering heat in her cheeks. Which was ridiculous, she was not intimidated to be in Naruto's room, certainly not intimidated to be with Naruto alone in Naruto's room. She'd been alone in Sasuke's room, with only Sasuke and that hadn't made her blush. Shaking her head over her stupidness, she straightened her clothes and rather than look at the blushing boy who'd dropped her hand like a hot rock she ran her eyes over his room.

It was mostly empty, if you could call a rubbish tip, empty. A few clothes were drapped over a chair and the bed, various weights peeked out from under the desk, and everywhere empty noodle bowls were piled.

The only thing that escaped the general disorder was a bedside table that held a photoframe.

"Who's that?" Sakura asked to break the silence.

"Ah!" Naruto said happily leaping over piles of things to pick up the photo fame and bring it back to her.

"This is Iruka-sensei." Naruto said proudly.

Sakura looked at the smiling man in the picture crouching beside a grinning kid that could only be Naruto because of the explosion of blonde hair on his head. A scar ran parallel across the man's face, testiment to a past that Sakura was sure she wouldn't approve of, but his eyes were kind. And the gentle hand he had on Naruto's shoulder spoke of a certain tenderness in him.

"He looks nice." Sakura said when she realised that Naruto was waiting for a reply.

"Yup!"Naruto said, smiling fondly at the picture.

"You call him sensei. Is he like Kakashi? Was he the person who trained you in karate before?" Sakura asked out of idle curiousity.

If she was going to be stuck there for an unknown amount of time she figured she might as well be nosy.

"Ummm, yes and no. See Iruka-sensei took care of us kids at the boarding school." Naruto said thinking about it.

"You went to a boarding school?" Sakura asked picking her way over to sit on the edge of his bed.

"Kinda." Naruto said. "See when my parents died I kinda didn't have anywhere to go, so this school took me in. Don't know why."

Naruto scratched his head, but shrugging he came over to sit beside Sakura.

"At the school all the boys and girls took karate, it was more like military training than normal school." Naruto stared at the photo again. "At least if Konoha high is what a normal school is like then the boarding school wasn't really a school. We learnt maths and how to read and stuff. But we also learnt camping and survival and fighting...it was cool."

"Sounds strange." Sakura agreed looking at the photo as well. "So where does Kakashi-sensei come in? Was he at the school?"

"Kakashi-sensei? Nah." Naruto said shaking his head. "Kakashi-sensei was one of the guys that came through every now and then and adopted a kid or two or three."

Sakura had a hard time accepting that Kakashi-sensei was the type to start a family.

"Normally the kids were taken in pairs or threes, I didn't know anyone else that was taken alone, part from me." Naruto said leaning his chin in hand and staring harder at the photo.

"Do you ever see him?" Sakura asked softly pointing at Iruka-sensei's picture.

"Nah. Kakashi-sensei and I move around alot for his work. I don't even have the address for the school, so I can't write either." Naruto sounded sad, which was the first time Sakura had ever seen a quiet emotion on his face.

"Do you miss- I mean do you like living here with Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked trying to cover her mistake.

"Yeah, well this is the best place we've ever been in and now I can go to a normal school, and there's you and the other guys." Naruto said grinning.

Sakura swallowed around a sudden lump in her throat. Feeling sorry for Naruto was a new emotion for her. She wasn't sure she liked how it made her feel about her previous behaviour towards Naruto.

"Oh." Sakura managed before staring down at her clenched hands.

"Yup." Naruto said, also staring at his hands still holding the picture frame.

"So..." "Well..." They both started simultaneously.

Sakura blushed and Naruto laughed a little at the coincedence then they fell into silence again. After a few abortive tries at conversation Sakura was starting to feel a little desperate. She suddenly didn't know what to say to Naruto. Without warning Naruto had become more than just some annoying guy she knew from school. Naruto had become, as strange as it sounded to her own ears, real. A real live, three-dimensional person, with feelings and a past, and she didn't have the faintest idea how she was going to deal with it.

Luckily for her Naruto did.

"Say Sakura-sweetie, wanna make out?" Naruto asked suddenly.

Without thinking Sakura's hand swung out towards his head, but he must have been expecting it because instead of being nailed to the wall he only fell off the bed with a slightly pink cheek. Huffing with indignation and ready to slap him one again, Sakura realised that Naruto was grinning.

_Pain in the..._ Sakura thought even as the tension of a few seconds ago left her. _But it worked. Naruto is Naruto again._

"Do you wanna watch some tele'? I think there's a good film on soon." Naruto asked, standing up cautiously in case Sakura wanted to take another swing.

"Only if you have popcorn, and I'm choosing the movie." Sakura said already leaving the room.

"Yes Sir!" Naruto said following her.

The managed to find some chips and had finally settled on a series when the door slammed open. Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand too frightened to even turn around.

"Naruto." Sasuke said brusquely.

Never had Sakura been so happy to hear Sasuke's voice. Letting her breath out in relief she squeezed Naruto's hand.

"Get Sakura out, they're coming." Sasuke's voice sounded lower than normal.

Turning her head Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of Sasuke and Itachi standing in the doorway. For an instant she was stunned literally by the image of the two brothers standing in the doorway.

_Mental note, must speak to psych about my attraction to angry young men, this can't be heathly._ Sakura told herself dizzily as Naruto pulled her to her feet and hurried her to the back door.

At the backdoor Sasuke joined them.

"My brother's going to slow them down a little give us enough time to get you into the house and hidden away." Sasuke said grabbing her other arm.

Casting one last look over her shoulder towards the front of the apartment, towards where Itachi was surely protecting her retreat, Sakura hurried after Sasuke and Naruto.

_Itachi...what's going on?_ Swirling in her head.

* * *

Next chapter a new character and a little light on the mysterious Uchiha family. Yay! (General joy and merriment.) 


	19. A Shadow of Love

The new character I don't think anyone could've guessed she was coming. Poor Sasuke, and he isn't finished suffering just yet.

Standard Disclaimer: FANFICTION people, it's only a FANFICTION!

* * *

**Genius' at everything except love.**

**A shadow of love**

**Uchiha Mansion Gardens  
**

Sakura did think she should make at least a token protest at all this secrecy, but in a way she was starting to have fun. Everyone seemed so comically serious about this game of skull duggery that she felt like joining in. So she crawled behind bushes and skuttled from tree trunk to tree trunk just like Sasuke and Naruto, all the time trying not to burst into giggles.

They were forced to hide under some camilla bushes and when the lone stranger had wandered on, the three took the chance to catch their breaths.

"How'd you get Mr Genius to help out?" Naruto whispered once he'd recovered from their flight from the dojo.

Sasuke scowled though it was had to tell in such dark shadows.

"Once I heard some of the others wanted to see the dojo, I asked him to help me smuggle Sakura out." Sasuke scrambled out suddenly and dragged up Sakura after him.

He glared at her.

"He seemed awfully eager to get you safe." He said accusingly.

Sakura just looked at him wide-eyed, what was she supposed to say?

"Maybe he didn't want you to get into trouble." She whispered finally, sure that her secret was written on her face.

Sasuke glared at her a few moments longer, then hissing in annoyance he turned and stalked away his hand still clamped around her upper arm. Forced to trot along after him Sakura felt a familiar feeling of guilt come over her.

Sure, at one point she'd believed that Sasuke was just a bastard and that using his arrogant belief in his own irresistibility to hide her romance was a fitting reward, but the more she was forced to send time in his presence being his 'fangirl', the more she'd been forced to see how wrong she was.

Oh he was a bastard, cold, deliberately hurtful sometimes, arrogant about his looks and wealth, but also incrediably lonely, and easily wounded by an angry word or a look. She was relieved that he knew she wasn't really head over heels in love with him, that it was just a stupid infactuation with a pretty face, like so many others had over him. So why did that seem to hurt him even more, as if he wanted more from her, but didn't know how to get it.

Tripping over something she fell against Sasuke who instead of chewing her out waited until she'd steadied herself and then moved on slower, supporting her elbow rather than dragging her behind him.

Eventually they approached an unlit, trellis covered porch and Naruto positioned himself in front of it to boost her up. Sasuke had already started to climb the trellis intending to aid her from the top when something shifted in the shadows.

Behind the trellis was a shaded love seat and the person sitting in it leaned out and looked curiously at the three. Suddenly the moonlight seemed so magical.

Sakura, one foot in Naruto's clasped hands, felt her jaw drop. For an instant she could have sworn it was Itachi's face, but this face was finer, the nose more delicate, the eye lashes longer, the mouth softer.

_A woman._ Sakura thought with wonder as those long long eyelashes blinked slowly over hypnotic eyes.

Sasuke dropped to the ground and a look passed over his face that Sakura couldn't name. But the pain in his voice was clear.

"Mother."

It was barely a whisper, but even Naruto flinched.

The woman cast a lazy look at Sasuke and narrowed those mesmerizing eyes.

"Itachi?" Rising slowly she stood tall and graceful.

Sakura saw Naruto's jaw drop which reminded her to snap her's shut. The woman was beautiful, graceful, a fairy come to life.

The woman approached Sasuke a growing look of happiness on her face. Sasuke however looked more and more sick.

"My little Itachi." The woman breathed an undeniable joy in her voice.

Gently she embraced Sasuke who stood as still as a statue and just as stiff.

"You cut your hair? Your pretty, pretty hair." The woman said mournfully stroking the short spikes that decorated Sasuke's head.

"Mother..." Sasuke said his voice hitching.

Sakura felt a stab of pain under her ribs, her throat clenched and her eyes pricked.

"It's Sasuke...I'm Sasuke."

It was as if a spell had been broken and suddenly the moonlight was just a cold light and the fairy was no more than a woman.

The woman frowned, her face changing from angelic to confused.

"Sa-sasuke?" The woman whispered confused.

She pushed Sasuke away and stumbled back towards the trellis. Sasuke stood still, his face emotionless unlike his voice which broke with pain.

"Mother?"

"No!" The woman said clearly.

"Mother!" Sasuke said, taking a step forward.

The woman curled her arms over her stomach hunching over as if in pain. Sasuke started to place a gentle hand on her shoulder and Sakura couldn't help a loud 'oh!' as the woman slapped Sasuke with enough force to whip his head to the side.

Sasuke stayed still his head turned away one hand outstretched towards her.

"Don't touch me, you _avortion_..." She hissed, her face twisting.

Slowly Sasuke lowered his arm. Moments passed and noone moved.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked finally, his voice low.

The woman looked around confused again.

"I...I wanted to see..." She faltered.

Suddenly scared she shivered and huddled against the trellis.

"Your nurses must be looking for you." Sasuke said reasonably, his voice almost normal.

The woman frowned.

"I don't like them, they make me lie down alot." She sounded petulant.

"But you get lost without them." Sasuke said softly his eyes still hidden in the shadow of his fringe.

"No! I wanted to do something! But they, they wanted to stop me." She said angry now.

"Noone can stop me, I want...I want..." Confused again she stopped.

She fell into muttering to herself and Sasuke's shoulders moved convulsively for an instant before he mastered himself again.

Tunring his head towards Sakura and Naruto he motioned for them to go ahead.

"I have to get her back, you guys go ahead, hide Sakura in my room Naruto." He said tiredly.

"Let us help." Sakura said, her voice rough from unshed tears.

"How?" Sasuke asked, an edge of anger in his voice. "Noone's allowed to know you're here."

Hurt Sakura stepped back, her previous good thoughts about him falling apart.

"The bastard's right." Naruto said sadly, patting her hand. "Noone can know you're here."

Squaring his shoulders Naruto approached the woman with confidence.

"Me however, everyone knows I'm here anyway, I'm just supposed to stay out of the way." He held his hand out to the woman who looked at him her eyes wide.

Before Sasuke's surprised eyes the woman accepted the offered hand with a small smile.

"May I accompany you madam on your journey?" Naruto asked politely.

The woman's smile broadened and giving a girlish giggle she skipped to Naruto's side. A frown passed over her face for an instant as she looked down at Naruto.

"You seem smaller than I remember Arashi-chan." Her faced cleared and she hugged Naruto's arm.

Together they moved off towards the porch door. When it closed behind them, Sasuke stood still an instant and Sakura opened her mouth to say something but he started to climb the trellis.

"C'mon." He said.

Feeling defeated Sakura hooked her hands into the trellis and climbed after him.

* * *

Hoooo, I have a big decision coming up in terms of the story, do I write it now or don't I? I have to carefully think over the effects this action would have on the story... In other words updates will slow down a little so I don't make the wrong choice. Sorry. 


	20. Short Cuts to Trouble

Well if you didn't realise the Uchiha family was secretive, you do now. but it'll be a while before we find out the secret as it's the big secret of the story, the reason Itachi and Sasuke are like they are. But what will it mean for our favourite petal haired girl? Heh heh. As for Itachi and Sakura moments, the next chapter will definately be about them getting some quality time together, and you're not the only one wondering where he's been!

Standard Disclaimer: Hey, Genius! These characters don't belong to me.

* * *

**Genius' at everything except love**

**Short cuts to trouble **

**Uchiha Mansion**

**  
**Sasuke closed the door of his room and collasped against it. Sakura, in a bemused way, sat on his bed and looked at the panting boy. Thoughts were whirling in her head, thoughts about his mother, Naruto, Itachi, why Sasuke's mother called Naruto Arashi-chan, why why why all this secrecy?

"We should be safe here for a while." Sasuke said finally looking up at her. "If anyone knocks hide in the closet."

Sasuke rubbed his hands over his face and tugged his slicked down hair. Sakura put aside her questions in face of the obvious distress he was trying to hide behind his usual rudeness.

Standing up she walked over to the door and took his arm. He yanked it back giving a growl.

"Come on." Sakura said stubbornly. "If you stay sitting there you're going to wrinkle up your suit."

Dully he let her pull him up to his feet. Sakura fussed with the wrinkles in the dark material, tugging and smoothing. She wasn't completely surprised when his hands started to skip over her own clothes, she was even a little heartened that he seemed to be...perking up in a certain sense of the phrase. To maintain the status quo of their relations she rapped his hands for good measure.

"Hey," Sasuke complained half heartedly, "the deal was whatever you do I get to do in return."

Sakura sighed as he tried again to run his palms over her hips.

"Sasuke, don't...just don't be a bastard right now."

She left him for a moment and came back with a comb. Sasuke submitted meekly to having his hair brushed back into position.

"Itachi rang your parents." Sasuke said suddenly. "He said you were studying with me and that then you'd sleep over."

"Oh, that was nice." Sakura said in relief.

In fact she'd forgotton all about her parents. She'd grown so used to them letting her do whatever she wanted that it hadn't occured to her to ask for permission to stay out.

"Hey what do you mean, sleep over?" Sakura asked suddenly realising what he'd said.

"Itachi doesn't think we can get you out until tommorrow at the earliest." Sasuke said walking over to the bed.

"Why not?" Sakura asked a note of panic making her voice rise.

Sasuke made a shushing motion and beckoned her away from the door. Tiptoeing Sakura reached the side of the bed but instead of sitting down next to him as he wanted she stayed standing and tried her best glare.

Sasuke snorted in laughter.

"You might scare an idiot like Naruto by wrinking your cute little nose up, but it won't work on me." He said crossing his arms.

Sakura humphed, but stayed standing so he didn't think he'd won;

"Where am I supposed to stay?" Sakura asked a note of acid in her voice.

"Why not here?" Sasuke asked raising an eyebrow and leaning back on his bed.

"Idiot yourself." Sakura said, turning her back.

Sasuke sighed.

"I thought of Itachi's rooms, it'd be safer than here. The cousins might push their way in here, but they'd never dare piss off Itachi or father." Sasuke said.

Sakura's heart thumped at the thought, all alone, all night, in Itachi's room, or better not all alone in Itachi's room all night. Her heart beat like crazy at the thought. She was glad that her back was already turned because she was sure she was blushing.

"But Itachi said no." Sasuke said leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

Sakura swallowed a lump of dissapointment. Though she wasn't surprised that Itachi had thought it better that he wouldn't find her anywhere near a bed. Really he thought she had no self control.

"So we came up with another idea, we're going to hide you in the unused wing." Sasuke said his hands clenching in tension.

Sakura shivered at the name. The unused wing sounded creepy, the type of place you'd find the dead bodies of young women who'd wandered into the house only to be frightened to death by ghosts. Shaking her head to get rid of the idiocy Sakura turned back to face Sasuke.

"Well, how do I get there?" Sakura asked, giving him a brave smile.

"There's a...a hidden passage." He mumbled.

"A hidden passage?" Sakura asked her eyes popping open at the thought. "Heh, you wouldn't happen to have a family ghost as well would you?"

"No." Sasuke said giving a look that clearly said he found her strange.

"There's an easier way from Itachi's rooms they're actually right besides the old entrance to the wing, but from my room we have to go through the passage." Sasuke said tensing again.

Standing he started pacing back and forth biting his lip. Sakura waited for Sasuke to spit out what ever was biting him, she figured it must have something to do with his mother.

"If you ever tell anyone about this passage I'll...I'll..." Sasuke started clenching his hands.

"Hey, calm down." Sakura said placing a hand on his arm. "I promise, I won't tell anyone anything."

Looking at her for a moment before making his decision Sasuke stood up and opened his closet door. As Sakura watched, he fished out a torch and carried his desk chair into the closet. Climbing onto the chair he pushed at the ceiling next to the light bulb. A square lifted and darkness showed.

Sakura made a face, it looked like the fantastic secret passage was nothing more than a space between the ceiling and the outside roof. Sasuke beckoned her over and Sakura came to stare up into the dark hole gaping above his head.

"Do you think you can get up there, or do you want me to boost you?" Sasuke asked.

"I can do it." Sakura said confidently.

Sasuke slipped the torch into the gap casting a little light on the cramped space, he stepped down and waited for her to move.

Sakura eyed the gap and wondered if she hadn't been a little presumptious but stepping up on the chair she grabbed the lip, and using the back of the chair she managed to scramble up into the gap with a minimum of fuss.

"Nice knickers." Sasuke said from the ground.

Sakura growled and dropped the torch through the hole hoping it would land on his head, but he caught it and put it in his mouth. He replaced the chair and using the shelves clambered up

and pulled himself into the hole with practiced ease.

Lighting the way, Sasuke had her crawl a few metres until they were in front of a wall. The roof had lifted some and Sakura realised that they were in one of the gables that she could see from the dojo.

Sasuke hesitated and Sakura had to poke him in the side before he would move forward. Pushing aside a panel of wood Sasuke helped her through into the small room, moonlight pouring in through a skylight. Standing up Sakura covered her mouth and nose at the smell of turpentine and paint. Sighing Sasuke walked over to the double windows and opened one slightly. The window opened inwards and the closed shutters on the outside hid the fact they were open while letting fresh air in.

Looking around Sakura realised they were in an ancient nursery, though it looked more like a storeroom at the moment. The yellow duck patterned wallpaper was faded and stained in places, a freize of chicks and other baby farm animals ran around the top of the walls but it was the large covered rectangular shape that drew her eyes. Curious she approached it and lifted the covering sheet.

"Well?" Sasuke asked finally, as Sakura didn't say anything.

"I...I..." Sakura said softly, her eyes never leaving the painting.

Giving a snarl Sasuke yanked the sheet out of her hand and pulled it down over the painting again. The paintbrushes next to the painting clattered to the ground narrowly missing a half full water cup and an old plate serving as a paint palete.

"Who painted it?" Sakura asked. "It's a wonderful likeness, is that what she looked like before she went..."

Sakura stopped before she could continue her pharse.

_Was that what your mother looked like before she went insane?_

"I don't know, I'm just making it up." Sasuke said gruffly standing beside the only door out of the nursery, his hand turning the door handle impaitently.

"Did you paint that?" Sakura asked surprised walking towards the door to stand closer to him.

Sasuke didn't reply to her question, which answered her question. Another question occured to her.

"Sasuke, is this where you went that day you skipped school?" Sakura asked remembering how Sasuke had managed to turn up in his own room without her hearing him opening the door.

Sasuke just looked at her, giving her his usual ice stare that said she'd gone too personal for him.

"Let's go, once you're safe I have to get back to the party. Father will be looking for me." Sasuke said to change the subject, opening the door.

Letting the subject fall Sakura walked through into the dark corridor trying not to shudder at all the cobwebs she was brushing through. Sasuke led the way using the torch as much for its light as for its ability to rip through the fragile lines.

"So what was that?" Sakura whispered as Sasuke started down a narrow staircase.

"My old nursery." Sasuke muttered trying not to fall on the tiny stairs.

"May I ask why it's so far out of the way?" Sakura whispered.

"This is the wing we used to live in, so the nursery wasn't that far away from everything. It's just babies make a lot of noise and father never liked be disturbed." Sasuke said indifferently as they reached the bottom.

"Here we are." Sasuke said opening the door and stepping through.

Sakura took a moment to take in the silence of the room before she started to really look around. It was a comfortable sized room with a shuttered window, an old blocked fireplace and dust sheets over what she supposed was furniture. Looking around she realised it had been some sort of sitting room, there was still a pack of cards sitting on the mantle piece. She turned around as Sasuke dragged a sheet off of a couch, coughing as the dust rose in clouds.

"Can you wait here?" Sasuke asked patting the couch to test the material. "It's pretty clean."

"Yeah no problem, just don't forget about me." Sakura said trying to sound chirpy.

She must have failed because Sasuke looked uncomfortable.

"Look." Sasuke said curtly. "I'm sorry you're getting mixed up in this...my family can be a real pain in the arse but...you'll be alright here. And tommorrow morning between me and Itachi we'll get you out."

As apologies went it sucked, Sakura thought, as an apology from Sasuke it was probably as good as it was ever going to get. She gave a reassuring smile and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Sasuke, if I get too bored I can always play solitaire." Sakura said picking up the pack of cards so thickly coated in dust she couldn't see the images.

"Oh shit." Sasuke said suddenly.

"Language." Sakura growled out, but following his gaze she had to repeat his phrase.

"Oh, shit." Sakura said as she realised they hadn't thought to bring a second torch.

A quick glance around the room revealed a distinct lack of candles, matches, secondary torches or the like. The only light were the thin beams of moon light that slipped through the cracks in the shutters.

Sasuke held out the torch waiting for her to take it. Sakura was touched by his gallantry, but not wanting him to stuck for hours in the dark trying to get back thought it better to refuse. Besides she wasn't such a baby that she couldn't wait quietly in a dark room for hours. Screwing up her courage and a bold smile she prepared to piss Sasuke off so he'd take the torch just to punish her.

"How are you going to get back if you don't have a torch?" Sakura asked tartly batting the torch away.

"Take it." Sasuke said stubbornly trying to force it into her hand.

"No." Sakura said equally as stubbornly shoving it away.

"Why are you so stubborn?" He growled grabbing her wrist and trying to trap both hands.

Remembering the grappling lessons Kakashi had given them, Sakura twisted and pinched at Sasuke, suceeding only because while Sasuke hesitated to hurt her, she had no such inhibitions.

A particulary savage twist had the torch falling and bouncing along the ground the light flicking off. Plunged into darkness Sasuke swore, for which Sakura swatted his shoulder.

"Come on, we better find it, then you can take it and hurry back to your party before your daddy notices you're gone." Sakura grumbled as she got down on her hands and knees and started crawling around.

Grumbling himself Sasuke crouched down beside her and patted the ground.

"Ow."

"Hey."

"Move over there."

"Your hands Sasuke."

"Don't put your legs in my way then."

"Just look under the couch."

"Hey, watch out."

"You're in my way!"

A strong light suddenly lit them. Slowly Sasuke drew his hands back from Sakura and she flushing, gave an uncertain smile to Itachi.

_Well if anyone suspected that he was in love with me, that look certainly killed it._ Sakura thought trying to stop the downward spiral in her stomach.

"Father is looking for you Sasuke, what's taking so long?" Itachi said a touch of anger in his voice.

"Ah, we lost the torch and she doesn't have any light so I was just..." Sasuke trailed off rubbing his hands on his pants legs as if to wipe her off of his palms.

Itachi tossed his torch to Sakura.

"We'll take the way back to my rooms, it has more natural light and that'll explain to Father where you were all this time." Itachi's voice sounded scarily like his father's.

Sasuke nodded and left the room through the door Itachi held open.

"Have you eaten?" Itachi asked suddenly once Sasuke had moved far enough away.

His voice was still that of a stranger so Sakura nodded instead of trusting her voice. Itachi gave a short nod and shut the door. The soft but firm thump of the wood closing felt like a fist in her stomach and for the first time that strange night, Sakura really felt like crying. So, being alone in the dark for possibly hours, she did.

* * *

All together, BAD ITACHI! Naughty naughty come and get smacked. It's okay he makes up for it in the next chapter. 


	21. Dark Rooms and Hidden Pain

I can't believe how long it's been since I updated. The shame prevents me from typing more. And don't worry if the** s**tory seems a little wandery at the moment, the real plot is coming back soon.

Disclaimer: If you think that the real Itachi would ever go to High School or ever fall in love with Sakura you are too naive to read this story, obviously these characters were 'borrowed' from the Naruto series. Duh.**  
**

* * *

**Genuis' in all but Love**

**Dark Rooms and Hidden Pain**

Sakura placed another card on the pile and realised that she was blocked. Sighing she started scooping up the cards and reshuffling. Yawning Sakura lay out another game of solitaire wishing she could relax enough to sleep a little. She didn't know how long she'd been alone but the moon light hadn't changed position radically so she knew it hadn't been more than an hour or two. Or at least she figured, her watch had died on her last week and she hadn't taken the time to change the battery.

The sound of light footsteps in the hall made her heart skip for the fiftieth time that night. Turning out the torch she tried to tell herself that she wasn't visible from behind the couch. Though the traces of movement in the room's dust coating were probably going to give her away.

The door eased open and it took Sakura's eyes a moment to adjust to the new light.

"Hey there Pink." Itachi said softly.

"Hey there stranger." Sakura said equally softly, smiling at the nickname.

Itachi hefted the box in his arms and entered shutting the door with a well placed tap of his foot. Sakura snapped on her torch and stood up.

Moving from behind the couch to meet his advance, Sakura hesitated when Itachi frowned.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked wondering if his changable humor had taken a turn for the worse.

He didn't reply before he'd placed the box on the couch and returned to face her. Gently he touched her face and sighed.

"You've been crying." He said slowly.

Embarassed Sakura covered her cheeks and blushed. She could well imagine the wreck her face must be after crying in a dusty room.

"Sorry." She muttered rubbing blindly at the traces of tears and dust.

Itachi replaced her hands with his and shook his head.

"Was it because of me?" He asked, using his thumbs to rub circles on her temples, his long fingers wrapping around her head and massaging.

"No, just a little too tired." Sakura lied blithely, her eyes closing under the gentle rubbing.

Itachi tapped her nose with a finger and Sakura opened her eyes quickly.

"Liar." Itachi said giving her a little frown. "And I told you I punish naughty girls who lie to me."

"Oops." Sakura said, clamping her arms over her side.

But instead of attacking her he kissed her swiftly, darting kisses along the tear traces. The touch of his tongue to her cheek was brief and surprising making Sakura's toes curl with the strange sensation.

He was licking her, she realised with a giggle. It was bizarre to think that he was mixing his kissing with something a mother cat would do. But she obediently presented her face to his ministrations and let the feeling turn from odd to pleasant to something more. Unconciously her hand rose from her sides to trace up his ribs up to his back to clamp on his shoulder muscles.

It was a pity that he was so much taller than her it made kissing like this difficult. Not that she was going to be the one that stepped back. Eventually his mouth made its way around to her's and Sakura let out a sigh as she gave as good as he was giving. It had been so long since they'd had any real time together to kiss made her bolder than normal. Slowly, waiting for the growl that would indicate he was going to stop her, she slid her hands down his back towards the waistline of his pants.

The bottom of his jacket unfortunately covered the waistline so she slipped her hands lower over his butt and up under the jacket. Of course she made sure to stroke over the firm roundness of said bodypart as she passed. The warning growl was allayed when she obediently slid her hands back up his back to his shoulders.

Giving him a few moments to sink back into the kissing she started the descent again, kneading the muscles of his back as she went. He groaned appreciatingly and releasing her head his own hands went to her back to mirror her movements. Smiling to herself Sakura let her fingers wander along the waistline of his pants.

Another longer growl let her know he was going to complain she was going too far, so before he could put physical distance between them she slid one finger under the band and touched the material of his...

"Ropes." Itachi said, his face red. "The next time I'll bring ropes to protect myself from you."

Sakura smiled, blushed, and looked away. Itachi had taken a step back and was also looking away. Their kissing was getting...further and Sakura was aware she was approaching limits she couldn't afford to cross. Not for a few more years. She knew that, but once they'd started it was difficult to stop wanting more, no matter what the potential cost.

Her wandering eyes fell on the box, before she could ask he had turned her around and told her to close her eyes.

There was clinking and clanking and she was dying to turn around but she was aware that Itachi was trying very hard to surprise her so she stayed quiet and placid. Eventually it all stopped and Itachi gave her the command to turn around.

Sakura stared wide eyed at the display. Tablecloth, candles, flowers, even a little box placed beside her plate. And in the middle an impressive display of sushi, maki, and sashimi complete with cut vegetable decoration and sauce bottles.

"Is it okay?" Itachi asked correcting the placement of a plate by miniscule movements. "I wasn't sure if you liked this kind of food but it was the easiest thing to carry."

"It's...wonderful. Oh Itachi, it's beautiful, it's...perfect, really it is." Feeling teary again Sakura knelt down beside the picnic.

Itachi smiled slightly though with his head turned towards the ground it was hard to tell. Sakura devined the smile by the way that his cheeks moved slightly.

Leaving the plate in place he poured two cups of tea, handing one to Sakura with a mock severe look.

"See if you were capable of controlling yourself then I would've brought champagne. But noooo, so you're punished with tea." Itachi said.

"Well it's your fault for being such a hottie then." Sakura said smartly, looking at him primly.

Itachi coughed to hide a laugh. He busied himself pouring out some sauce to avoiding looking up.

"Really I don't know how you expect me to control myself when you deliberately dress to provoke me." Sakura continued as Itachi's shoulders started to tremble.

"Why it's amazing that I haven't thrown myself onto you yet...I mean again." Sakura continued, grinning at the effect her words were having on her boyfriend.

Itachi's shoulders shook harder and he had to put down the sauce bottle or risk spilling everything. He splayed his hands on his knees and bit his lip at the image dancing in his head.

"I mean with the way you dress you'd think that you were trying to lure me into jumping onto you. You'd be safer if you weren't wearing your Tuxedo Mask outfit." Sakura said picking up a piece of maki and dipping it into the sauce Itachi had so thoughtfully poured.

A sound of hiccuping started to escape from Itachi and Sakura's grin stretched wider as a truely wicked thought sprang into her head.

"In fact I think you want to really be safe you should take off your clothes." Sakura said as seriously as she could.

"Sakura!" Itachi said, shocked at how bold she was being.

Itachi's laugh stopped and he looked up at her eyes wide. Sakura tapped her chopsticks against her lips thoughtfully as if considering her proposition.

"Yes, yes I think that would be best, naked, definately a good idea." She said picking out another piece to eat as if they were only discussing the weather.

Itachi rubbed his forehead and tried to convince himself that throwing himself out of the window would not save his sanity.

"At least take off the jacket." Sakura groused as Itachi stayed silent staring at her.

Sighing Itachi shrugged out of his jacket and folded it beside him.

"There, happy?" He asked picked up his own chopsticks and tried to decide which piece to start with.

"Pants." Sakura said indicating the offending piece of clothing with her piece of sashimi.

"Sakura..." Itachi ground out.

"Okay!" Sakura said feigning fear. "Being good."

Popping the fish and rice into her mouth Sakura gazed contendedly at the silently fuming Itachi. He was definately starting to become more emotive around her. She remembered when such a conversation would have been ignored by him. She wondered sometimes what it was that had pushed him to start opening up to her. She didn't like to think that it was because of the black eye he'd come to school with. But she wasn't sure it was something that she'd done either. She doubted that the measly chest she'd grown over summer had been the deciding factor.

"So, how have you been?" Sakura asked to fill the silence which was a little unnatural for them.

"Okay." Itachi said evasively.

"You've been busy." Sakura said a little dissapointed but not surprised at his hesitation.

"Yeah." Itachi said slowly. "Sorry, it's a little hectic at the moment."

"Still working with the Kissy-guy?" She probed further.

"On and off." Itachi said blandly,ignoring her deliberate mispronounciation of Kisame's name.

"And your father he's been keeping you busy as well?" Sakura continued ignoring Itachi's unwillingness.

"Yeah, especially with this family farce tonight." Itachi said a touch of bitterness in his voice.

"But then there's Shisui...and he's a good point." Sakura pointed out.

Itachi glanced up with a little smile.

"Yeah, he's a good point." Itachi agreed.

"So, you and he looked close today." Sakura said casually.

"So now you want the whole history?" Itachi asked with a look.

Sakura made a face and looked down at the food again.

"Don't push yourself." She said a little miffed that he didn't seem to want to discuss anything with her.

Itachi.

"Not everyone had a good family life when they were kids Sakura." Itachi said slowly trying to find a way to apologise.

"It's not something I like to talk about alot. And Shisui, he's a big part of one of the most painful parts of my childhood."

The pain in Itachi's soft voice made Sakura realise she was pushing where she perhaps had no right to go. Before she could apologise Itachi had folded his hands in front of himself and leaned his chin on them. A sure sign that he was going to talk seriously about something.

"Sasuke said you met mother tonight." Itachi said.

"Yes." Sakura replied, unsure if she should add something.

"My first meeting with Shisui dates to the time when she started to become...like that." Itachi paused searching for the words which would clarify things without revealing the parts which still hurt the most.

The words which would keep his Sakura unsullied by the darker sides of being an Uchiha.

"I didn't realise it at the time but my mother had fallen pregnant with Sasuke, and it somehow...unstabilised her. She had always been...highly strung, bright, sensitive, but something about being pregnant this time was too much for her nerves and she started to crack."

Sakura clasped her hands and tried to stay as quiet as possible so he could finish.

"Before it got too bad, father sent me to live Shisui and his family. They were like a breath of fresh air. I was apparently morbid as a child, I wasn't incrediably active and prefered to spend the day alone reading, but part of that was the nature of my family life. My father wasn't much into fun, and my mother...I don't know what my mother was doing. Apparently when I was a baby she showered me with affection and doted on my every move, but as I got older something happened between her and my father and she 'went away' in her head. I remember her being sad alot too."

Itachi closed his eyes trying to picture the first time he'd seen Shisui's house.

"They lived close to the sea, and Shisui was a horrendously active child." Itachi smiled quietly. "He used to tease me alot, and we fought all the time."

Sakura rolled her eyes, it sounded alot like two others she knew.

"But being forced to spend everyday together built something between us and before we knew it, we were friends. Best friends."

Sakura felt a warm feeling spread through her chest. Itachi had told her something, something about himself. She tried to remember another time he'd explained something so personal to her, but she couldn't. He never talked directly about himself, ever.

Sakura reached across and grasped Itachi's hand. He flicked a look up at her as if only just returning from his memories. He pinked ever so slightly to think that he'd sounded so nostalgic about his childhood.

To turn her attention away from his brooding he gripped her hand in return.

"Shisui is everything that was good about my childhood. And you're everything that's good about now."

Then he kissed her.

* * *

See I told that Itachi would make it up to Sakura. But as always disaster is waiting just around the corner. 


	22. Storm Warning

Wow, it's been a while since I wrote anything for this one. Mostly because of computer problems, then I was busy with my other stories. I also started a live journal, but I don't know if I'll post for this story because it's not one of my 'serious' pieces. Mostly it's for my stories at AFF. but there are other one shots that I haven't put up on FF yet. All the pieces there need a bit of polishing, which is one reason this one probably won' t go up, it's meant to be my relaxing story, where I write whatever passes through my head rather than trying too hard. Anyway check my profile for the link.

Disclaimer: Since it's not my name on the cover of the books, Naruto and all characters are not mine, and I'm definately not making money off of them...sigh.

* * *

Genius' at everything except love

Storm Warning

Someone was shaking her shoulder and Sakura opened her eyes realising that she was stiff all over. Which was normal, considering she'd been sleeping awkardly on the little couch.

Yawning she sat up, rubbing her eyes. Itachi looked, well, like Itachi. Which pushed Sakura's otherwise good mood, down a little. He hadn't looked that serious for a long time.

Clearly something had happened since he'd left her to fall asleep. Really noticing the weak early morning light for the first time Sakura realised she hadn't had more than a few hours sleep, which explained why she felt so scratchy. She stretched her arms up for a hug, but Itachi turned away as if he hadn't seen the move.

Hurt, Sakura stood up and twisted herself back and forth trying to work the kinks out of her back.

Itachi opened the door to the room and motioned for her to follow him.

"Hurry, we don't have much time."

Sakura gave a quick smile, hoping for one in return, but Itachi seemed unmoved. He waited as still as a statue beside the door. Sakura slid her shoes on as quickly as possible, collecting up the few things that she had with her, she hurried over to him.

Without a word he ushered her out the door and down the hallway. Sakura wanted to ask him if it was wise to use the main halls but she was too afraid that his mood would turn sour if she spoke out of turn. So she stayed silent and pattered along behind him as quietly as possible.

They passed through empty halls and Sakura was about to give a sigh of relief when Itachi pointed to an open window and held out his hand to help her up and over the ledge. Grumbling because she should've known that it was going too easily, Sakura clambered over so that her legs dangled outside.

Looking dubiously at the drop she was hardly reassured when Naruto hissed up to her and made motions which clearly said, 'jump I'll catch you.' She gave one uncertain look at Itachi but his thin lipped mouth and blank eyes convinced her that this was the best way. It wasn't even that far down, her ankles were hanging only a little bit over Naruto's head, and Naruto was no giant. It was probably the fact that underneath Naruto was a sloping terrace roof, yeah that wasn't reassuring at all.

Reminding herself that she used to be good at sport, and that she had been taking karate lessons for the last few weeks and if worse came to worse she'd land on Naruto and if she broke his ribs in the process that'd serve him right, Sakura eased out of the window. Which wasn't the cleverest of things to do, because the windowsill caught her skirt and dragged it up.

Kicking out at Naruto's face so he would stop trying to see up her suddenly very short skirt, Sakura realised that she was never going to be able to hold her position very long. Her butt was already off the sill and the weight was quickly pulling her down. Suddenly Itachi grabbed her under the shoulders and lowered her towards the wary Naruto.

"Take her to the garage and wait for me." Itachi whispered to Naruto before he dissapeared from the window.

Sakura pressed her lips together to stop herself from protesting. If she didn't win some sort of prize for being the most understanding girlfriend of all time... Taking Naruto's offered hand she tottered her way down the slope of the roof and proving that she wasn't completely useless, clumsily slid and climbed down to the ground.

Naruto didn't need to tell her to move quickly, the chill of the pre-morning air was seeping through her thin summer jacket. Once hidden in the trees Naruto slowed down to a fast walk and Sakura drew closer. She was being very nice about sleeping alone in a boarded up room, being ordered around and dragged from place to place like a dirty package, but she wasn't going to not pry into Itachi's life. Especially after he'd finally told her something about his childhood.

"So, Naruto, what did you do with Sasuke's Mum?"

Naruto winced.

"We wandered around a bit, then her nurse found us and convinced her to go back to her room."

Sakura hesitated, how did you ask questions about a, um, not completely stable person?

"Was it...strange?"

Naruto's forehead wrinkled.

"Yeah... she was strange. Not mean or ...really bizzare, but, not really connected to here and now, y'know?"

Sakura nodded.

"Yeah especially when she kept calling you Arashi-chan." She prodded him verbally.

Naruto folded his arms and frowned harder.

"Yeah that was really strange."

They arrived at the edge of the trees and Naruto glance around trying to see if anyone was looking. Only two metres away there was the back door to the garage. Seeing noone, Naruto scuttled forward and opened the door. Sakura darted through, giving a sigh of relief when the door closed behind her.

Naruto grinned at her sigh of relief.

"I think you're taking the limo." He moved forward, skirting the sports car that Itachi usually drove.

"Makes sense." Sakura said, thinking of the tinted windows.

At least they didn't expect her to leave in the trunk. Naruto opened the door for her and she hopped in. Leaning back against the smooth leather she tried to put into order all the things she'd learnt and seen over the last night.

Sasuke and Itachi's mother was alive, somewhere in the house and apparently mostly insane. She also believed Naruto was called Arashi, why? She loved Itachi, but hated Sasuke. Their family was big, numerous, and scary, also they were given to holding private parties which were apparently very private. Sasuke, Itachi and even Naruto were scared of their reaction to having a stranger in their midst. Kakashi however, was not a stranger, did that mean he was a part of their family? Itachi had been sent away while his mother had been pregnant with Sasuke. He'd had a good time living with Shishiu who was now his best friend. A best friend who knew embarrassing stories about Itachi. Naruto was an orphan and had grown up in some strange quasi-militaire boarding school. He'd had a teacher called Iruka, who was close to him even though they had no contact now, and he and Kakashi moved around alot.

She rubbed her eyes, bone-tired all of a sudden. She remembered when her biggest worry was if Itachi would be at school or not, now she had mysterious families and heart breaking tragedy to think about. If she didn't know better she'd think she was in some sort of soap opera. With lots of soap.

Naruto was busy trying to find a bottle opener for the bottle of soda he'd found in the little fridge. Sakura looked at him wondering what it would be like to have him as a boyfriend instead of the hugely complicated Itachi Uchiha. She supposed it'd be more fun, and there'd be alot more laughter and joking around. And time spent together, yeah Naruto looked like the kinda guy who'd stay by your side. She also supposed it would be up to her to be the responsible one. The one to say no, the one to say stop, the one who worried where their relationship was heading.

She admitted to herself that she'd left the fate of their relationship entirely up to Itachi to decide. But then true love was like that, she didn't want to do anything that he might not like, might not be ready for. Like Sasuke, Itachi had problems with being close to someone, with sharing his feelings. Sakura believed that with time she could show him that he had nothing to fear with her, she was determined. She was in love.

She must have dozed off because a banging door made her jump, and her head had been resting on Naruto's shoulder. She tried to subtly check if she'd been drooling or not but the sound of Sasuke's voice interrupted her.

"You had no right!" Sasuke's voice held more indignation than anything else.

"Sasuke..." Itachi however, sounded tired.

"Father said I was ready! He said this year I could paticipate in the meeting."

"Father..." Itachi paused, he dragged a hand through his hair and she ached for the shadows that were under his eyes.

"Father is wrong. You know it's not just a meeting. There's something you have to do first."

"I know that!" Sasuke interrupted. "But I'm ready, even Kakashi said I could perform the..thing! And Father said..."

Itachi clapped his hand over Sasuke's mouth.

"You don't even know what it is you have to do. So don't be too eager."

Sasuke glared daggers at him, but he didn't try to remove Itachi's hand.

Slowly Itachi lifted his hand away.

"You always do this. You always try to keep me away from everything! From everyone! Especially father." Sasuke's voice was lower but it only made the sound more like a hiss.

Naruto cleared his throat, and even though it was a small sound Itachi twitched. With swift strides he approached the limo and opened the back door. Sakura froze under the suddenly angry look on Itachi's face. For a moment Itachi's face froze the promise of pain in his eyes pinning her to the seat. Then it seemed to melt away behind the blankness that normally covered his face.

"Sasuke, your girlfriend is waiting."

Sasuke spluttered a little, then reddened. Naruto made as if to protest but subsided under Itachi's coldness. Sakura coloured and dropped her eyes. Stalking past his brother, Sasuke slid into the limousine and pulled the door shut behind him with a loud thud. Itachi opened the front door and started the engine.

Noone talked or looked at each other while Itachi pulled out of the garage and started down the driveway. Sakura was ready to let out a sigh of relief when someone called out to Itachi. Swearing under his breath, Itachi slowed down and opened his window.

Sakura ducked down between the double bank of seats, hoping the angle from the front window would hide her.

"Hey, you're up early, where you going?" Shishui asked leaning in the window.

"Got some errands to run." Itachi said, avoiding Shishui's eyes.

Shishui glanced at the two boys sitting in the back.

"Hey Sasuke! How you going?"

Sasuke turned his head and glared at Shishui.

"Pity about last night, but you look better now." Shishui said with a grin. "No more stomach pains?"

"No." Sasuke said in a flat voice that could have killed. "Everything's fine now."

"Great! Well you'll get your chance someday."

Sasuke turned away and crossed his arms.

"If you ever want to practice, or if you have any questions, just look me up." Shishui said cheerfully.

Itachi stared at Shishui, and then at Sasuke. Turning his eyes back to the driveway, Itachi said they had to get going. Shishui slapped the side of the car, and standing up gave a cheerful wave goodbye.

"Your brother knows how to get hold of me." He said to Sasuke as Itachi closed the window.

Itachi growled a goodbye.

Noone said anything until they were out of the Uchiha driveway. Carefully Sakura sat up feeling uneasy. The many fights between Itachi and Sasuke always put her on edge. The complicated family relations in Itachi's family made her even more determined to make him happy.

She licked her lips trying to find the words to break the silence.

"Is that why you were so pissy last night?" Naruto asked suddenly, kicking Sasuke in the shin.

"It's that time of the month again?"

It took a moment for the meaning to sink in. Then…

"I'll kill you!" Sasuke yelled launching himself at Naruto, with Sakura adding her own slaps for good measure.

In the general noise and action Sakura didn't notice the way Itachi's eyes rested on her and Sasuke. Nor the worry that darkened his look.

* * *

Mysteryyyyyyyy. 


	23. False Calm

Yeah! I'm back, and I promise that the chapters will be coming out more regularly from now on, well, if you guys help out. We're getting close to the competition but before they actually get there they have a few things to get through...

Disclaimer: despite my best efforts still not mine.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

**Genius' 23**

**False calm**

Sakura made one more loop with her hair elastic and let it snap tight against her ponytail. She wasn't stressed that with her weekend from hell (besides the ultra-romantic midnight picnic with Itachi…) she hadn't actually managed to study for the exams. No, no stress.

Sakura flattened down her uniform skirt with sweating palms. Without wanting to sound arrogant she was sure to win a place in the 'brains squad', of course she was. But what if she didn't win first place? How could she tell Itachi. He'd be so disappointed.

A hard tug on her ponytail had her yelping loud enough that the teacher paused in mid-recital of the exam rules to glare at her over her spectacle rims. When Sakura blushed and lowered her head, the teacher went back to noting times on the blackboard.

"Sasuke." Sakura hissed, pulling her ponytail over her shoulder.

Sasuke, sitting behind her rolled his eyes.

"You're getting on my nerves nerd-girl, quit moving."

Sakura hunched over her wrong-side up paper and glared at her desk. She was getting on his nerves? Well he was already on hers.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" she hissed back at him.

The teacher looked up again, resettled her spectacles when she saw nothing, and gave out the last instructions.

"Taking the exam." He said quietly, the word 'idiot' ringing in the background of his voice.

Sakura rubbed her forehead quickly. She'd hoped he'd either give the track and field events a shot, or just sit the whole thing out.

"Well, good luck." She said not knowing what else to say.

"Hn."

Receiving the command to begin Sakura flipped over the exam paper and scanned the first question. She clicked her pen once and started.

Sakura hesitated, her pen hovering over a sentence. Giving a tiny sigh she finally admitted there wasn't anything else left to change and looked up. All around her heads were still bent over their papers, foreheads wrinkling in effort. Behind her she could hear muttered curses coming from Sasuke, giving a sniff she ignored him and rolled her shoulders to loosen the tightness.

The scrape of a chair broke her out of her reverie about Itachi and the picnic, causing her to realise that the exam was almost over. She raised an eyebrow as she recognised the long loose ponytail of Neji Hyuuga as he placed his exam copy in front of the teacher and left.

Realising that he was probably going to get ready for the afternoon track and field qualifications, Sakura grinned as she remembered how Lee and Naruto had spent the early morning charging each other up about giving it everything they had. Her face fell a little as she remembered the sparkling grin and thumbs up that Lee had given her as encouragement for her own exams.

The only reason she'd even gone near Naruto and Lee was because Hinata desperately wanted to say good luck to Naruto but couldn't work up the courage to approach him by herself. Really she was too good a friend. Before she could get too self congratulatory, she felt a hard poke in her shoulder.

Irritated, she shook her shoulders and fixed her eyes on the clock at the front of the hall. She put all her concentration into sending very clear 'I am ignoring you' signals to the pain sitting behind her.

Sasuke tapped his papers against his desktop loudly to organise them tidily. Sakura's eyebrow twitched, but she waited quietly. Whistling under his breath, Sasuke stood up and strolled up to the front and placed the exam papers down. Without even looking in her direction he walked slowly out of the room his arms folded and his face smug.

It was her policy to wait until the end of the exams and hand in her exam at the very end. It had started as a way of hiding just how quickly she finished her exams, now it was simply a habit. People knew she was intelligent, and since she'd met Itachi that no longer bothered her.

Absolutely no need to rise to his childish provocations. Absolutely none.

Lunchtime was noisier than usual, especially at their table. Lee and Naruto were still pumping each other up, Hinata nodding furiously every time Naruto proclaimed his imminent victory. Of course every time his eyes dropped to her bobbing head, she immediately buried her nose in a handy book.

Tenten was floating from table to table chatting with friends and probably promoting the Dart's Club. Going from one table to another she crossed Neji's path. For a moment they stared at each other, then Neji gave a toss of his head that made his long hair sway like a shampoo advert, and walked on.

Sakura tapped her chin thoughtfully, she'd often gotten the impression that they knew each other. Perhaps they were primary school friends. She was so busy creating a history for the two that she completely missed the darkening scowl of Sasuke.

A heavy press on her foot brought her attention back to the present with a little yelp.

"I said, are you coming to the tryouts this afternoon?" Sasuke said leaning over his crossed arms and glaring at her.

"Uh, I suppose." Sakura said crossly rubbing her foot against her calf to ease the sudden pain.

She decided not to try and hit him for two reasons. One everyone at the table was looking at them and Sasuke looked surprisingly interested in her answer.

"I guess if we sat on the hill, we'd have a good view of the finish line." He said in an offhand manner.

Sakura pinched herself as she remembered she was supposed to be his lovesick fan/stalker. Nodding furiously, she wished she was a good enough actress to blush charmingly. Sasuke leaned back satisfied.

"Oh Sasuke, it would be soooo special…" Sakura started gushing.

"Hinata you have biscuits right?" Sasuke said, turning away from her.

Sakura let her sentence hang as if she couldn't believe that he'd deliberately ignored her. While outwardly she pouted, inwardly she fumed at his rudeness. Of course in her heart she didn't care if he ignored her or not.

Hinata cast startled looks between Sasuke, who rarely spoke to her, and Sakura who looked hurt. When Hinata didn't answer, Sasuke turned to Naruto and started sniping about how short Naruto was. Naruto immediately attacked back, boasting about his stamina and super sprinting speed.

Sakura jumped slightly when she felt a small soft hand slip into hers under the table and squeeze gently. Looking over at Hinata, Sakura felt her heart tighten at the sympathetic look in Hinata's pale eyes. Feeling bad that Hinata thought she was hurt over Sasuke's behaviour, Sakura gave her a bright smile and squeezed her hand back warmly.

"From there you'll be able to watch Naruto run." She whispered.

Hinata blushed hotly, and stuttered that she hadn't thought about that. Sakura winked at her and went back to eating.

Sitting on the grass chatting with Hinata about television and magazines, Sakura had to admit that most of her worries about the weekend were disappearing. The strange encounter with Sasuke and Itachi's mother; the secretive family party; the orphanage where Naruto had lived before moving to Konoha; Itachi's childhood story; all of it seemed almost dreamlike now. Who had family lives like that?

Her family was ordinary, one mother and one father who worked long hours to pay for a nice house in a nice neighbourhood and send their kid to a nice school. She had an aunt and uncle on her mother's side, two more uncles on her father's side, a couple of older cousins, a couple of younger ones, and except for her and her oversized forehead, they were all normal as well.

In front of them the best of the athletics department was busy warming up. Lee was silent for once, concentrating on completing a series of painful looking stretches. Tenten was sprinting on the spot, her focus on the finish line where a group of chosen students were busy preparing themselves to record the names of the eventual winners.

Naruto was busy trying to copy Lee, when he wasn't too busy waving his arms madly at their group on the hill.

_As if__ we could miss you in that bright orange tracksuit. _Sakura thought rolling her eyes.

Most of the students wearing the regular sports uniform of black shorts and a white t-shirt bearing the school logo, however something unfortunate had happened to Naruto's and he'd replaced it temporarily with his own choice of colour. Even Hinata had seemed unsure when she'd seen him exit the changing rooms wearing it. A quick explanation from her crush had her soon nodding her head with enthusiasm and Sakura wondered if Hinata's wardrobe was going to acquire some orange items.

Of course the orange disaster was well matched by his friend who, while wearing regulation shorts and t-shirt had added a green, full-body, neoprene leotard and orange leg warmers. He'd explained that if he'd been given the choice he would've worn just the skin tight neoprene suit to cut down wind resistance, but apparently where a jumpsuit was allowed, swimwear wasn't.

Lee had already tried to convince the school to change their sports uniforms to more streamlined gear. Despite his valid arguments about resistance and improving times, the school still refused to allow him to wear his suit. Today it seemed they either hadn't bothered to enforce the rule, or they had more important things to do.

Sasuke was hogging the shade complaining that it was too hot, and generally being a pain. Sakura forced herself to smile and flirt until he seemed to be satisfied and leaned back against the tree a half smile on his lips.

A group of girls started up a high pitched squealing, and Sakura sat up in spite of herself, to find out why. Neji had just come out on to the field and was busy stretching a short distance from Naruto and Lee. Lee immediately went into a deeper stretch and added a painful looking arm stretch into the combination. Naruto immediately tried to match Lee only to spasm in pain and drop his pose to limp away to a nearby bench. Neji contented himself to ignore Lee's blatant provocations, and stretch thoroughly but responsibly by himself.

Hinata dropped her head and concentrated on the biscuit she was nibbling, Sakura had noticed that Hinata often tried to hide herself whenever her more talented cousin was around. She opened her mouth to try and draw Hinata into a conversation but Sasuke beat her to it.

"Hey Hinata, go get us some drinks."

Sakura's jaw dropped, just when she thought he couldn't get any ruder he found new levels of bastardiness. Hinata cast a hesitating look at Neji, and Sakura turned to say something rude to Sasuke. Lovesick fangirl act or not, she wasn't going to let him order Hinata around like a servant.

"Take one for Naruto-baka while you're at it." Sasuke said offering money to the almost trembling girl.

Hinata blushed faintly, but nodded and scrambled to her feet. Eyes fixed firmly on the ground she hurried over to the snacks table that their enterprising school council had set up beside the track. A brisk trade surrounded the table and suddenly Sakura realised that she was now alone with Sasuke. She tried to come up with an excuse to leave but realised that anything she tried would only make it obvious that she was avoiding being alone with Sasuke.

Plucking a piece of grass, Sakura wound it around her finger. She knew that Sasuke wanted to talk with her about the party she accidentally took part in, and truthfully she just wanted to forget most of it. She never wanted to forget about her midnight picnic with Itachi, or the stories about his childhood that he told her, but not all her memories made her smile.

She had to admit that the more she knew about Sasuke, Itachi and the Uchiha family the less she understood. She wondered if all really rich, powerful families were as strange, afterall even Hinata seemed to have family problems. For herself, she supposed her family wasn't all roses and happiness, but they didn't have any weird problems. Her parents worked a lot and they had a habit of treating her like a child, but her mother wasn't crazy and her father wasn't some scary tyrant.

It helped to explain why Itachi never talked about his family, and why he was always so reserved even around her. It even explained Sasuke's lack of social skills, or basic politeness. How could you hope to grow up normal in a family like that?

"We're trusting you."

Sakura jumped with surprise when Sasuke spoke. She gave him a blank look. Sasuke hissed in irritation.

"How can you be a genius and still be so dumb?" He said biting off each word.

Sakura raised her head and bared her teeth, ready to snap back with a sharp retort, only Sasuke's slumped shoulders and averted eyes made her pause.

"I'm talking about what you saw…about my mother, and the rest." Sasuke's voice was bitter and rough.

Sakura lowered her eyes from his pained expression and went back to staring at her own hands.

"Of course." She said gently.

She was surprised to find herself feeling sorry for Sasuke.

Embarassed herself, Sakura wondered if holding his hand would be going too far. Slowly looking for any sign of rejection, she scooted herself over until she sitting beside him her back also against the tree trunk. The thinness of the trunk meant she was sitting at a right angle to him, but this suited her.

"Besides, who'd believe me that I spent the night in your old room?" Sakura tried to put a teasing note into her voice, trying to make a joke of it.

There was a pause where Sakura thought Sasuke might be drawing himself together, then.

"You could drop the 'old' bit and just say you stayed in my room."

The head slap was automatic and made her miss the start of the first sprint courses.

**ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

I started a LJ for this story because sometime's I lose interest and need a push or I get completely off track. So if you're waiting for the next chap and would like to give me a push, leave a comment at gribouilleuse.


	24. Rising Winds

It's finished, and now I can really get into the next major part of the story. whew. It's not over yet.

* * *

**Rising Winds**

"Don't feel too bad, Naruto." Sakura said patting the shoulder of the wilted boy.

Pretending not to see Lee's hopeful look and crocodile tears she quickly turned away. She might be ready to comfort Naruto for only coming fourth, but comforting Lee for his second place was too much. Besides, she had ground to make up with Sasuke.

"I'm sure Sasuke would've come first." She fluttered her eyelashes at the brooding boy.

He looked at her suspiciously and turned away.

_Damn, arrogant, bratty, immature, not even cute..._ Sakura bitched silently.

It wasn't fair that she had to play the fangirl for the younger brother, when the older brother pulled all her heartstrings.

"Yosh! Everybody, let's head over to the Shuriken." Lee said recovering quickly from his disappointment.

"We have a lesson." Sakura was quick to point out, after all if she was at Itachi's house, she had a better chance of actually seeing him.

Sasuke slipped his hands in his pockets and pretended not to care. Naruto grabbed him around the neck and ground his knuckles into his head.

"You think that I'm gonna let you leave with Sakura-sweetie while the rest of us are miserable you're a bigger idiot than I thought."

Tenten pointed out that she and Lee weren't miserable, in fact her third place overall suited her quite well. Naruto wilted further and looked around for sympathy from the only other person in the group. Who immediately fell in line.

Hinata looked hopefully at Sakura with such a quiet desperation that Sakura found herself nodding to Lee's repeated invitation before she realized it.

The group left, Tenten leading the way with Lee chanting something about the power of youth close on her heels. Sasuke being dragged by Naruto looked half angrily at Sakura, who gave him a helpless look of 'what can I do?' She didn't even have to work hard to put the disappointment on her face, because she really felt it.

* * *

**The Shuriken**

An hour later, Sakura had to admit, coming had been a good idea. The three guys had ended up lancing various competitions on the game machines in the game room. It kept them busy enough that Sakura could relax her worshiping act, without Sasuke glaring at her when she missed an opportunity to polish his ego.

Given Tenten's competitive nature, Sakura had been surprised when Tenten chose to sit with her and Hinata. She soon found out the real reason for Tenten's decision though, as Tenten proceeded to thoroughly question Hinata about her life.

"So that cousin of yours, he's like what, some kinda genius yeah?"

Hinata blushed faintly.

"He's perfect at everything." She practically whispered.

A small part of Sakura protested that she should stop Tenten from questioning Hinata, but her own cursedly curious curiosity kept her silent. Sakura also wanted to know more about her enigmatic friend, but lacked the guts and skills to find out. So she let Tenten be the badguy.

"He seems pretty close to you, you guys hang out a lot?"

Sakura snorted, and interjected before thinking,

"Overbearing you mean. A complete jerk, and he's arrogant."

Belatedly she remembered her manners, and her goal of information. With an apologetic look at Hinata and Tenten, she shrank back into her seat willing Hinata to continue.

"So you guys are close?" Tenten repeated her question, leaning forward on her elbows.

Hinata tried to avoid answering by sipping her drink, but Tenten didn't budge at the gentle request for privacy. Finally Hinata replied.

"I suppose, Father asked him to look out for me at school."

Tenten nodded encouragingly.

"But other than that, we don't have anything in common. He tries to ignore me most of the time." Hinata continued, her hands toying with her glass.

Tenten looked thoughtful for a second.

"He must like you a bit though I mean he always walks you to school and home again."

Hinata glanced desperately right and left looking for a chance to escape, but even Sakura was looking at her expectantly.

"Umm h-he kinda, it's not difficult or anything for him. He's not really following me, he umm, he lives wi-with us."

Tenten's eyebrows raised and she gave a low whistle of surprise.

"Why?"

The word came out before Sakura even realized she was going to ask it. She covered her mouth in embarrassment, but didn't retract the question.

Hinata shrugged, drawing squiggles on the table top with her finger.

"His dad died when he was young, and his mother isn't in the picture."

She gave a little sigh and interlaced her fingers to keep them still.

"I think she abandoned her family just after Neji was born."

Realizing what she just said, Hinata gave a little gasp of surprise and covered her mouth.

"You can't repeat any of this." She said frantically.

Her huge pale eyes fixed themselves pleadingly on the two girls.

"He'll kill me if he finds out I talked about him to anyone."

"Of course." Sakura promptly promised as an apology for her curiosity.

"You're really scared of him huh?" Tenten said, ignoring the need to promise anything.

"N-no, I'm n-not, really!" Hinata said giving a brave smile.

"I-it's just I don't want any trouble."

"Hey, if he ever gives you any grief, just tell me and I'll put him in his place." Tenten said suddenly.

She pulled a dart out of somewhere and twirled it in between her fingers.

"I can take him."

Hinata shook her head with a sad little smile.

"It's not really Neji that's the problem."

Sakura had a sudden brainwave.

"Is it your family?" She clicked her fingers. "I bet he's supposed to spy on you or something."

Hinata shook her head, but the way her eyes avoided her told Sakura that she was probably right.

"What for?" Tenten said, shaking her head and dismissing the idea. "Why would her family want to spy on her?"

Hinata blushed hotly. Desperately looking for a way to salvage the conversation from the dangerous direction it was taking she felt an increase of adrenaline that went to her head.

"I'm the problem!" She blurted out. "I-I can't do anything right."

Her sudden rush of courage seemed to disappear all at once, and she felt the hot blood drain out of her cheeks leaving her weak and a little dizzy.

"He just makes sure I don't do anything too stupid." She closed her eyes in self disgust as she realized she'd just said exactly what she didn't want to.

Sakura winced and kicked herself mentally as Hinata's face crumpled. Even if Itachi did say her honest (judgmental) and upfront (blunt) character was one of the things he liked about her, it wasn't an excuse for being cruel and unfeeling.

Even Tenten who was normally pretty obtuse when it came to other people's feelings had the grace to look embarrassed.

The two girls quickly started another conversation about what they thought the upcoming inter-school competition would be about. Hinata snuffled a few times, then seeing she was going to be left in peace, subsided gratefully into the background.

Minutes went by and the crisis seemed to pass under the pointless chattering that the two guilty girls kept up. Seeing Hinata was back to her normal shy self, Tenten took the chance to apologize, blushing faintly herself.

"Ex-cop's daughter." She offered as an explanation, examining her fingernails rather than looking at Hinata. "Sometimes I forget…"

She cleared her throat, trying to force down the heat in her cheeks.

"Once I get started, it's hard for me to stop."

"I suppose you learnt that from your Dad huh?" Sakura asked.

More to ease Tenten's embarrassment, than out of curiousity for Tenten's family secrets.

"Yeah, he was pretty good at his job." Tenten said a frown forming on her face.

"He learnt interrogation techniques after his accident, it was all they let him do until the pain from his injuries stopped him from doing even that."

Tenten's face darkened as she thought of how she'd watched her father change from the big, strong; capable man of her memories, into a half-empty, half-crippled shell.

Hinata swallowed hard.

"Um, I know it's rude, but, what exactly happened to your father?"

Hinata cringed visibly, expecting a sharp reply, but Tenten just rubbed absently at a stain on her nail, a sad look overtaking the anger.

"Ask Lee, I really can't talk about it."

Standing up suddenly, Tenten gave an overly cheerful smile.

"I'll get us some drinks!" She said brightly, practically bouncing out of the room before either girl could say anything.

Seeing the empty chair at their table Lee sat down quickly leaving Naruto and Sasuke in a 'to the death battle' of Table Foot.

For once Sakura was glad to see him as Tenten's reaction had piqued her interest. Telling herself that it was only fair after Hinata's questioning, Sakura leaned forward eagerly.

"Her father?" Lee said, sounding unsure, for once his clowning behaviour leaving him.

Sakura nodded.

"She said we should ask you."

Lee looked thoughtfully at the table top, his fingers twining and untwining, until suddenly he stopped and looked up.

"Her father's a hero." He said with a smile half proud, half thoughtful.

He waited a second for their reaction, but when they stayed silent, he seemed to make a decision. A serious look on his face Lee began,

"You guys don't know much about us, so in the name of friendship I'll tell you a bit about Tenten and I."

Lee straighten up in his seat.

"Rock Lee, 14 years old, fourth form at…"

"We know, we know…" Sakura broke in. "Athletics star and all."

Lee gave a sheepish grin, sinking back down into his seat.

"Uh, I live not so far from the edge of town with my Foster Dad who's also a cop."

"Foster Dad?" Sakura asked her eyebrows raising.

"Yeah, he's still working on the adoption papers, single Dad and all, plus his job is really time consuming." Lee said a little embarrassed by Sakura's keen curiosity.

"Anyway, he's a cop. He used to work in a special team with Tenten's Dad, back before he was injured."

Lee picked up an abandoned straw and tapped it softly against the palm of his hand

"Tenten's Dad was a sharp shooter," Lee looked up briefly, apologetically. "We don't know a lot, they don't talk about it much. But they were part of an anti-organized crime squad."

His eyes dropped to the table again.

"There was a big sting operation going down and someone leaked information and it went wrong, and a lot of people died."

Sakura leaned further forward, her voice soft as she encouraged Lee to continue.

"But not Tenten's Dad?"

Lee gave a little smile.

"He betrayed his sniping position by saving part of his team, my Dad included, and took a bullet in his back as his reward."

Hinata's eyes swam with tears, sniffling quietly she pulled a delicate looking handkerchief out of her pocket.

"He's in a wheelchair now, didn't start off in one, but the nerves continued to deteriorate and he slowly became paralyzed. He had to give being in the force, but he couldn't give up being a cop. So he opened this bar."

Sakura sat back a little ashamed that she'd been so pushy, but glad that she knew a little more about her friends.

"Must be tough." She'd never been in a situation like Tenten's.

Her family was the most normal family you could imagine. Her Mum and Dad were normal, they worked, they kinda cared about what she did, but as long as neither teachers nor the police ever called about their daughter they let her do what she liked. They had family dinners, and vacations together to see her Grandma. They fought a bit, laughed a bit, annoyed her, embarrassed her, loved her. She thought everyone had a family like that, she'd thought she had it rough because her Mum hassled her about her chores.

Paralysis, orphans, estranged family members, pressure, evil cousins, when did everyone develop such complicated lives? She was used to feeling young and inexperienced with Itachi and all his secrets and complicated emotions, but to feel it with her friends was new and unpleasant. She was supposed to be their equal, since when had they left her behind? Was she that immature?

Add to that her selfish behaviour towards Hinata, and even towards Sasuke, did that mean she was a brat too?

Was it possible that she was the immature brat in their group?

A crash from the direction of the Table Foot game had everyone at the table spinning around. Sakura sighed to find Sasuke holding Naruto in a chokehold, while Naruto's wildly failing fists battered both Sasuke and the surrounding environment.

Lee jumped up and tried to pull the cursing boys apart, receiving a flying fist and a well placed kick that soon had him battling away as well.

No she wasn't the immature one, Sakura reasoned as she stood up to separate the three her own way. Sasuke was biting, and Naruto was tugging on both Sasuke's and Lee's hair she realised with a groan. Nope compared to those two she wasn't immature at all.

* * *

The competition will bring in everyone else we're missing. But first we have to do the Wave Country Arc. Because Ecrire says so. Nyah.


End file.
